So For NowPlease Don't Ask Me to Kill You Just Yet
by Ghostwulf0313
Summary: ***Contains spoiler to the Satsuriku No Tenshi story(AKA Angels of Death). Takes place after Zack has rescued Ray from the mental hospital. I do not own any of the characters from Angels of Death.
1. Chapter 1

Reunited

***October****

Zack hadn't killed her after jumping out of the window. He had been running with Ray slung over his right shoulder, grasping his new scythe in his free hand for what felt like hours. He carried her through the back alleyways using darkness as cover. Who knew anyone could run without showing any sign of weakening for so long. Not that she should be surprised. This was Zack after all. He had survived fire, electrocution, bullet wounds and a deep slice to the stomach. The latter might have actually finished the job had Ray not gone to great lengths to save his life. After a year of being apart they were finally together again.

 _Zack...you really came for me._ She hadn't said much it all still felt so surreal. Leaning her face against his shoulder she breathed in his scent which seemed to always have a bit of a metallic smell...blood. Rachel clung to that smell reassuring herself it was real. It hadn't been a dream Zack was really here.

Once sirens could no longer be heard in the distance, the serial killer took cover down a deep alleyway with apartment buildings on either side and placed the pale blonde girl onto her bare feet. It all happened so fast she hadn't time to think about putting on her little white slippers. Zack was observing their surrounding as if looking for something. "Zack?" Ray gently tugged at the brown sleeve of his hoodie.

"Just a sec Ray. Wait here." He ruffled her hair handing her his weapon before jumping to a ladder that hung off one of the apartment buildings fire escape stairs. It was high enough that she would've needed to stand on a dumpster and even then she would barely reach it. Ray Instinctively clutched at her arms as a shiver crept over her. It was late October the fall breeze had a chill to it. Might have not been so bad had she not been wearing a simple thin nightgown and no shoes. The pavement was really cold. She hoped he had come up with an idea or something.

After a few minutes her hooded companion returned. A golden eye peered from under his hood at the small girl holding herself for warmth; a smile across his lips. "C'mon, lets get ya out of the cold." He motioned to a balcony with an open window on the 3rd floor. "It ain't occupied so should be safe for tonight at least" Zack lifted her to the ladder; following behind her once she had gone up enough for him to do so.

"Um...Zack?" Rachel suddenly felt self conscious. "Can you...look away until I get to the stairs?"

"Hah? What fo-" Eyes widening in in embarrassment Zack swiftly shifted his gaze to the ground . They had both momentarily forgotten that Ray was in a thin nightgown. She had underwear on of course, not that it made it any less awkward of a situation. "Shit, hurry it up then!"

The apartment was indeed vacant with no furniture. There was a strong smell of paint and chemicals. Whoever had cleaned the place of after prior residents must have opened the window to let the place air out but forgotten to close it once they left. Luckily the electricity and water still seemed to be working. They only used the water and the heater though, it was too much risk to turn on any lights. Between the brightness of street lamps and the full moon there was enough light to see what they needed to. Rachel slumped against a wall in the living room staring at the man beside her. The only person she cared for in this hellish world. Thinking about how he looked when she saw him without his hood for the first time; reaching out and taking her hand. Taking her away from that place. It still felt like a dream _.Why are my cheeks warm..._ "Ray? Why ya blubbering again?" She hadn't even noticed the tears streaming down her face.

"S-sorry." She smiled. She felt...happy? She couldn't be sure since it had been so long since she'd known how that felt. She guessed the warm feeling that she had now and would get during various moments with the man sitting next to her was happy. She felt wanted and cared for, something she never felt with her own family. A bandaged thumb reached out catching one of her tears before it could fall.

"Its over Ray. We escaped that murder hole. I'm not in prison and your not in the looney bin. Ya can relax." His golden eye seemed to be glowing. He was smiling, her heart skipped a beat as it always did the few times he would smile at her that way. Not that she had an understanding of why. Feelings were hard for her to understand.

"I know. I'm guess I am crying because you came back...earlier tonight night... I had been told that they were going to kill you." Her gut wrenched replaying that memory in her mind, she must've clenched her fists subconsciously because they stung a little. A small amount of blood trickled down her wrist when she opened her hand to look at her palms. Zack ruffled her hair once more, standing up moving towards the balcony window.

"Ya know I wouldn't kick the bucket so easy Ray." He smirked, "I'll be back, try to get some sleep and quit hurting yourself." Isaac's eyes narrowed at her bloody palms.

Feeling a rush of anxiety and not wanting him to leave her for even a second, Ray bolted up "Wait...please don't go." Her eyes which were usually void of emotion filled with a desperation. _I can't ...I can't be separated from him again._

"Chill, cant have ya running around with no shoes and the looney bin dress right?" He motioned to her clothes, she knew he was right but continued to give him a pleading look. "I ain't goin' that far Ray. I saw some chick that looked your size throw some bags of clothes into one of those bins near the front of the alley. I'm just gonna grab them real quick see if anything might suite ya."

She recalled seeing the donation bin, he was right she couldn't stay in these clothes. Too cold not mention the amount of attention she would draw. Rachel nodded her consent, though she still felt uneasy. "Okay...but please be careful and hurry."

He rolled his eyes giving her a look as if to say. _Obviously, idiot._ Before climbing down the side of the building. She knew she should just trust him. After all this lifestyle was nothing new to Zack. He had been on the run from the authorities long before he was the resident of B6. She wondered how he'd managed to dodge the cops for so long having murdered so many people.

She on the other hand knew nothing of this life. Sure her life before the building sucked. She'd been abused and watched her dad murder her mother. He then tried to kill her as well, she'd managed to pull a gun on him and killed him first. Then she created her perfect family. Ray's gut churned at her actions. She knew that wasn't _normal_ , it was sick, she had a sick 2nd side to herself which threatened to emerge whenever she hit a breaking point.

Rachel had never lived on the streets before though. Never experienced being on the run from the police. She would need to talk to Zack about that, last thing she wanted was to pull him down. She wouldn't ask him to kill her again until she knew he was safe.

Ray crawled over to the window and poked her head out to make sure Zack was okay, she could see his hooded figure digging through the donation bin, retrieving 2 trash bags of clothing and possibly other random items that people disposed of. It must have been really late, there was no one else around. The police had more than likely given up their search for the night. She scanned the buildings, trying to think how they could get out of this mess. They needed to rest first of course especially Zack. She remembered just then that his head and shoulder had been bleeding a bit. She would need to inspect his wounds whether he wanted her to or not. Ray retreated back against the wall once her companion turned back towards the alleyway with 2 bags in tow.

They were quite lucky that there was a bin so close. Saved them the trouble of having to find one or get more clothing through more risky methods. "See? Quick n' easy!" He seemed pleased with himself, tossing the bags at her feet.

"Thank you." Rachel carefully untied the bags so they would be able to go back into the bin after she finished searching for anything useful. Seemed like Zack hit the jackpot. Once she had finished sorting through she had managed to find a black backpack. _This will be useful._ The rest was mostly clothes, luckily she was able to obtain a few t-shirts, 2 pairs of jeans, a jacket, some activewear leggings, pajama pants, few tank tops, a single dark blue pullover and a set of sneakers and few pairs of socks. All of which looked about her size. Setting aside the shoes, hoodie and a set of socks for the next day, Zack waited in the bedroom while she changed into the leggings and a simple white t shirt. The rest she of what she wanted to keep went into the backpack while the unwanted clothing went back into the black trash bags.

"All done?" Her companion called from the other room.

"Yeah."

Zack looked at her appraisingly re entering the room. He slid down next to her " Not bad Ray."

"Thanks...oh right I almost forgot." Ray ripped a few pieces of cloth from one of the shirts that hadn't fit her properly.

Her hooded companion watched curiously as the little blonde headed to the kitchen; she wet the strips with hot water squeezing out any excess liquid. Zack sighed, he knew it was coming eventually. Ray knelt beside him and pulled back his hood. Isaac closed his eyes allowing the girl to brush away a few strands of hair to inspect the cut in his hairline. He knew there was no point in arguing with her about it.

Ray had felt a tad tempted to touch those locks during their time together in the building. His raven hair felt as soft as it looked, she couldn't resist running her small delicate fingers through his locks. "It's so silky…" Her cheeks flushed, realizing she'd accidentally voiced her thoughts out loud. She lowered her eyes to his which were now open and staring at her. He looked a bit confused, probably never had anyone touch him like that. Luckily he kept his usually rambunctious mouth shut for once. Ray swallowed, then readjusted her attention to the wound on his head.

It wasn't too deep and had already stopped bleeding. Gently she wiped any excess blood, though there wasn't anything she could do about the stains on his bandages. She would need to find him some new ones later.

" That one wasn't bad thankfully, do you mind if I pull your sweater down a bit to check your shoulder." she closed her fingers around his zipper, waiting for permission.

"Ya don't have to I can take care of it myself." a bandaged hand gently clasped hers. There's that freaky concerned face again, "Don't look at me like that...it aint that bad."

"You do recall last time you said that?" she gave him that look that told him that even if she was being polite and asking permission he really didn't have a choice.

"Tch...fine. Do what ya want." he allowed her to partially unzip his hoodie so that she could pull it down enough to see his shoulder. The little gash on his shoulder wasn't too bad either. Zack looked away as she cleaned the wound...for which she was grateful as she couldn't seem to help herself from looking at his bandaged torso... _He's so thin...most likely from malnutrition, but even so it's like he is nothing but muscle under all the gauze._ His build was very athletic, it was the build of a predator. A killer.

She didn't understand why...but looking at him sent a warmth through her cheeks.

"What ya staring at shortstuff?"

Ray hadn't realized she had paused and very obviously fixated on his torso...she really hoped he didn't notice her blushing.

"Sorry...I...just...zoned out." Which was true. Luckily he didn't press her further.

"Tch"

Zack pulled his jacket back up, he felt a little self conscious by her staring...though curious as to what she was thinking...part of him was afraid to ask. He tugged his hood down... _Her face though...was she blushing? Probably just embarrassed for getting caught staring...tch...whatever._

The awkward silence made the 21 year old killer uncomfortable "So how was it in that place?"

"The mental hospital?"

"Duh. Where else?"

"True...dumb question. Um it was...okay. The people were nice enough. They just didn't understand. If I asked about you...they wouldn't tell me. They didn't understand that I didn't ask because I was afraid of you. I just wanted to know…" Her eyes watered again. Her aching heart still needed to catch up. "I wanted to know you were alive."

"Yeah I suppose it would suck for ya to be stuck in that place. A slow death"

"To be honest our oath wasn't what came to my mind...it wasn't just because of our oath." The blonde clutched her hands to her chest, her voice shaky.

"Then why?" he asked softly though he probably already knew the answer. It was the same reason he had allowed himself to be arrested so that her life would be saved. The same reason he went to such great lengths to protect her and to take her away from that place. Sure there was their oath...but it was more than just that.

Ray wiped her eyes, struggling to speak her throat felt tight. His hand squeezed her shoulder reassuringly. As if to say 'hey it's okay I'm here...I'm really here.' "Because...I care about you Zack...I don't want you to get hurt...I don't want you to d-" in one swift movement her small body was encased in warmth. Zack held her against him, face buried into the golden sea of her hair.

He didn't say anything. Just held her. Her crying was muffled by his hoodie. He understood. How could he not after carrying her bleeding body from that place. The anguish he felt when he thought he was going to lose her. He never thought he would ever feel that way towards anyone. Never believed it possible to care for another person above his own survival. Yet here he was holding the one person who had reminded him...no matter his past… no matter how many labeled him monster...murderer...freak...he was still human.

It was always weird to him when she showed so much emotion. Throughout their time in the building it was like she slowly became more and more….normal. Well almost normal. Ray would never be completely normal. Normal people don't care about the life of a cold blooded murderer. Normal people call him monster, freak, disgusting...the list of insults could go on forever. They shrunk before him and ran for their lives though they never made it far. And their smiles...their laughs pissed Zack off. Really pissed him off the only cure in his eyes was to wipe their stupid smiles from the face of the Earth.

Ray was different, when she smiles it felt different. He didn't feel pissed off, he _wanted_ to see the young girl smile. In a way she reminded him of himself when he was younger. She had a shit background just like him. She didn't deserve to die like those people. She deserved more. So much more.

The hooded killer let her close in a way no one else ever would be, he felt a warmth in his chest as she cried, because she had been so afraid of losing him. He let her cry until eventually she fell asleep against him. He'd almost forgotten how tired he was himself, closing his eyes he knocked out almost immediately.

"How the hell did he escape a max security prison?!" The chief officer was a gruff man with salt and pepper hair...at least the little that was left of his receding hairline.

The day Isaac Foster had been apprehended had felt like a huge weight off his shoulders. Though he had to admit it was very peculiar. Peculiar that the wanted criminal had been completely off the radar for so long; only to emerge from some building carrying the missing child Rachel Gardner. Onlookers stated that the killer had seemed remorseful over the young girls state. He had turned himself in without any fight. Reynolds believed that Isaac spoke the truth about the young girl. If he had been the one to shoot her why would he carry her outside. There was also no signs of any sexual trauma to indicate motives of a more sinister nature.

None of it made sense. Chief Reynolds though curious had decided he supposed it didn't really matter at this point. Isaac Foster was a cold blooded killer that needed to be put down.

"We don't know sir...the security cameras were blacked out for 2 hours, we presume it was during that time period in which he escaped. However there as no sign of any struggles...he had to have had help" the young female officer reported.

"So your telling me that someone just came in and walked out with Mr. Foster, a well known serial killer who is hard to miss and NO ONE noticed?" Unbelievable. Reynolds slammed a pudgy fist onto his desk.

"That's right...no one saw anything...not even the other prisoners. The only thing each person who was at the prison that day seems to have in common, is saying that there was a sweet aroma throughout the air. But no one saw Isaac or the person who may have assisted him." the young blonde nervously replied.

"That makes no damn sense. A sweet smell? That doesn't mean anything. Could've just been someone doused in cologne or perfume. We still have no leads I take it? Just that he took the girl?" Reynolds really hoped he was right in his conclusion of Foster NOT having sinister motives with the young teenager.

"No leads sir. The girl had barricaded herself in her room. It was as if...she knew it was him. By time we broke through, all that was there was a broken window, a knife and blood on the window seal. There was no sign of either of the 2 anywhere. All we were able to confirm is that the blood does belong to Isaac we presume he injured himself upon breaking in."

The older man sighed resting his forehead on his palm. " Continue your search and let me know soon as possible if any leads are available."

"Yes sir."

Zack was the first to wake despite the little sleep he had procured during the night. He wasn't used to sleeping with someone so close...let alone sleeping right up against him. She was still asleep, the sunlight bouncing light off her blonde hair. Ray's head had slid from his chest to his thigh she was curled up with her head on his his lap her small body between his thighs. _Sigh_. Definitely wasn't his usual MO, but she had needed it last night, and though he wouldn't admit it aloud he had needed it too. He really had missed her during their long separation. He had felt so empty as if a piece of himself was missing. She looked so fragile, so easily breakable.

He must've roughly ruffled her hair out of habit, because Ray's blue eyes slowly fluttered open. "Hey."

"Zack?" sapphire orbs gazed up at him sleepily. A small smile crept up her lips. "You really are here…"

"Still can't get that through your head?" unable to help himself from flicking her head. "Ya gonna lay there all day?" Couldn't say he disliked the contact, but he felt much more at ease with her off him.

Rachel tried to fix her hair(yeah he messed it up pretty bad.). "What now?" She pulled on the socks and sneakers and pullover she had laid out the night before. It was odd hearing her say that. Usually she was the one with the plans. "I don't know much about this type of lifestyle…" she admitted sheepishly. Made sense, they were in Zack's element now. Now that there wasn't any stupid ass puzzles to figure out.

A low rumble erupted from his stomach. "Heh, well we can get some food for starters...then we need to cover as much ground as possible and get the hell away from here."

"Okay...and how do we do that. I'm sure we are all over the news. Your not exactly hard to spot...most people don't walk about covered in bandages."

"Ya think I don't know that smartass? We can check the dumpsters behind the restaurants. They always throw out shit thats still edible." Ray didn't look kneen on the idea of eating from a dumpster. "What? You gotta better Idea?"

"That just sounds unsanitary. We could get all kinds of food borne illnesses."

"Hah? I used to live off it I never got sick."

"Yeah but your not normal. Most people would get sick." Her bluntness was starting to irritate him, thought she was probably right. He wasn't like most people.

"Okay then . Come up with something better!" he snapped.

They walked around looking for an opportunity, sticking mostly to the alleyways. Most people wouldn't risk venturing down them now that his name was all over the headlines and had been announced escaped and highly dangerous.

Despite her inexperience to street life, Ray proved to be most resourceful. Not that he was surprised he'd seen her beat the odds with that brain of hers more than once.

She tucked her long hair away in her hood which she used to partially hide her face to make herself less recognizable. " Wait here, I have an idea."

Zack watched amused at her little act. He could never get away with begging. Nor would his pride allow him to do it.

After a mere 30 minutes of the young 14 year old begging on the streets (she kept her head down so no one would see her face while he hid in the shadows making sure no one shady came up) she had gotten $54 and a couple bags of snacks. Seemed like people(mostly men) were suckers for little teenage girls begging on the street.

Zack felt a little proud watching her walk purposefully in his direction. "Hey ya did pretty good there!" she dodged his hand knowing he would mess up her hair. Again.

"Well...it's definitely better than digging through a trash can." He was pretty sure there was a hint of amusement under that boring ass stare.

"Shut up! I ain't the begging type." He grimaced at the thought of sitting there begging for help. The idea alone was enough to make him wanna hurl his guts up.

"I suppose your right Zack." Ray handed him one of the 2 packaged cinnamon rolls she had acquired, which he took happily. They walked as they ate.

Keeping her hood pulled down, Ray was able to buy some supplies such as food, water and bandages and other basic supplies at a gas station along the outskirts of the city. She also purchased a pair of cheap sunglasses to help disguise herself further. Zack would have to stick to the alleyways gathering supplies from either the trash or homeless people who wouldn't be missed. Breaking their necks instead of his usual slashing(Ray's suggestion), thinking maybe the cops wouldn't make the connection to the old back alley murder who normally tore his victims to pieces.

Once they had managed to travel past the main city they headed for the woods, making sure to keep the main road somewhat in site. They had to remain hidden, especially since Zack didn't seem keen on the idea of losing the scythe. The weapon on its own was enough to draw attention.

Ray had begun to slow down drastically, tired from having to keep up with Zack's longer strides. Not to mention she didn't have the same stamina he had. Though he had at least been kind enough to carry the book bag so she wouldn't be slowed down any further.

"Zack…" Her legs were about done, shaky and weak from moving practically nonstop.

Ray's companion turned to look back at her.

"Need to take a break?"

Her blonde head nodded. Zack peered up at the cloudy sky. The darkening clouds in the distance told them that a storm was on the way. They would need to find some shelter.

"It's gonna storm, Ray. Can you make it just a bit further I think I see an old abandoned house further up."

"I'll try." Her eyes were drooping, her pace slow.

The bandaged man sighed, seeing how exhausted she was. Without a heads up he slung his weapon over his shoulder scooped her up in one arm, and carried her the rest of the way. Ray, too tired to protest closed her eyes.

Zack had managed to make it inside the old wooden home just before the storm hit. It was a rough one and the house had a few leaks, but it would be enough to shelter them for the night until the storm passed. It was a studio cabin with a small kitchen a dusty full size bed and a fireplace with 2 old wooden chairs sitting in the front.

Ray was deposited on the bed, somehow the little brat had fallen asleep dangling under his arm. He leaned his scythe against the wall, then rummaged through the backpack for some water and snacks.

Ray awoke restrained to a chair unable to move...even her head had been strapped down. Forced to stare forward at the screaming man in front of her. Zack was back in an electric chair again… when shock after shock didn't kill him...Ray screamed shouts of protest "NO! NO! NO!" forced to watch as the executioner came forth with a large blood stained axe. As the monster raised his axe to deliver the final blow, a tear could be seen in Zack's eye. "Ray...I'm sorry…" **SWISH!**

Zack had sat on one of the chairs near the fireplace twirling the hunting knife he had gotten from a thug dumb enough to try to get in his way back in the city. He felt restless and on edge. Had that chill he would get whenever it had been awhile since he had killed someone. He growled knowing he would have to live with it for a while. He couldn't risk drawing attention or giving the cops a hint as to their location. Snapping necks just wasn't the same as the feeling of his blade sinking into flesh ripping and tearing it as his victims face filled with despair.

"Zack…" he turned his head to look at his blonde companion who had just whispered his name, she sounded distressed. Her eyes were still closed. _She callin my name in her sleep? Freakin weird._ "ZACK!" her small body was twitching as if she was restrained and trying to break free.

"What the?" Isaac shoved the knife into his boot and sat next to her on the bed. She had beads of sweat dripping from her forehead, a bandaged hand reach out in an attempt to rousse Ray from her nightmare. "Ray? Raaay!? Wake up idiot! OW SHIT!"

Zack's hand shot up to his throbbing nose which the young blonde had accidentally head butted as she woke with a start from her nightmare.

No blood fortunately, he quickly shifted his attention back to Ray who was breathing heavily tears streaming down her face.

"Nightmare?" She looked up at him for a moment then slung her small arms around his neck and sobbed into his chest. "What the hell...again with this crap?"

Zack reflexively stroked her hair.

"I'm sorry...I...I just needed to feel sure everything is real…

Zack's eyes softened "Whatcha mean? I'm right here Ray."

"I know...I just had a dream...and well..I'm really sorry...you've gotten hurt so much because of me." Those blue orbs began to water again.

"Geez Ray...what the hell are you talkin' about?" He continued playing with her hair twirling a feel strands around his fingers. He wondered if it was as soft as it looked. He couldn't tell through his bandages.

"Back at the building...when you sliced yourself open...when you got arrested...and when you came to save me...you got arrested in the first place because of me…" She felt a gentle pat on the back of her blonde head; hiding her face in his jacket.

"Shut up you idiot...none of that was your fault...I CHOSE to do those things." He grabbed her shoulders and forced her back to see her face. Surprisingly her eyes seemed more alive...sad but vibrant. "Ya hear me Ray? It was MY choice. I chose to slice myself open instead of you. I chose to get arrested so you could be saved. And I chose to rescue you. Everything was my choice. Not yours and it's not your fault. Ya gotta quit blaming yourself for shit. Just forget it and move on."

"I...I'll try Zack." she leaned back into his chest still sobbing a little. She felt safe there, "I guess I just don't really know how."

"Just keep reminding yourself that it doesn't matter. It done and over. Focus on right now and right now...everything is fine. Right?" She could feel his mismatched eyes looking down at her.

"Y-yeah. Everything is… good. But Zack?" she lifted her head so she could match his gaze. "Would you mind staying here with me...there's no blanket...and it's kind of cold..and you help me feel better."

He wanted to protest but the words wouldn't form from his lips. She was right it was cold and this would be the best way to avoid getting sick from the cold. She probably wasn't used to being out in the cold like he was.

Zack used one arm as a pillow, he laid down facing away from her. Not commenting as her back settled into his. Surprisingly feeling her there helped him to feel more relaxed and he was finally able to fall asleep. Maybe he needed the reassurance that it was real as well.

The following morning they trecked near the highway coming up on a gas station, they took refuge in the cargo area of a semi transporting food to a retailer; as the truck driver had gone into pay for the gas filling his vehicle. It Ray's idea of course. It wasn't comfortable and the ride was bumpy but no one would think to check the back for 2 wanted persons. They could just disembark at the next pit stop, covering a lot more ground than if they were to just walk.

Yeah having her around was definitely going to make this easier. He was glad to have her. He didn't know what it was to live a truly normal life...then again neither did she. Though not near to the extent of himself they both had darkness in their pasts. No matter what happened, their vow would remain intact, but Zack didn't intend to fulfill it for a long while. Right now he felt what someone might consider...happy.

His spirit was lifted the instant he broke that window and her ocean blue eyes stared into his and he knew when the time came to end her life it would take him a long time to move on, if he ever would. So until then he intended to hang onto however much time he had with her. He hadn't lied that he desired to be the one to end her life. He just had left out that he also desired to be the one to light a fire into the life she had decided wasn't worth living. He couldn't understand why she still wanted to die. She said she wanted to be desired in life and in death. In desiring both he was granted her own desires wasn't he?

That night back then on her floor when they renewed their oath he saw the change in her. She had more life, even if she still claimed to want to die...there was definitely life in her eyes, and then again when he came for her, how fast they shifted from her old dull eyes to a brightness that shown brighter than the moon reflected in them. He wasn't ready to see that light extinguished.

He felt something soft on his shoulder though he could barely see in the dark of the cargo hold. Ray must've passed out. With a deep sigh he closed his own eyes a smile across his lips. He looked forward to seeing more of that light that he knew was for him and him alone.


	2. Chapter 2

*December*

Within 2 months of their escape they had managed to travel halfway across the country. Their last ride had left them roaming suburbs outside of the states main city. Though inconvenient due to most places not being a short walk, their current location was in a way safer since it was unlikely for cops to be looking in places that were considered to be relatively criminal free. These cops were significantly more lax than city police.

The cooler weather enabled the pair ot move more freely as well. They wouldn't stick out when wearing clothes that would help conceal their identity. Though Rachel still ran most of the errands...Zacks blood stained clothing wasn't ideal for being discreet. Rachel decided to remedy that problem. She had just returned to their motel from a nearby retail store towing a few bags of clothing for Zack and food; which she tossed onto one of the full beds. She had managed to scrounge up a fairly decent amount of cash while begging on the side of a highway exit. Since they weren't able to find decent shelter for the night she decided they could treat themselves to an actual bed for the night. The place was a bit of a dump, but they didn't ask many questions and it was better than nothing. Both were tired of sneaking bumpy and uncomfortable rides on whatever transport type vehicle they could slip into unnoticed.

Sighing Rachel discarded her excess clothing-a scarf, boots and of course her hoodie. It was extra cold now that snow had begun to fall. Zack was nowhere in sight; the sound of running water indicated her companion was in the shower.

Ray pulled out a set of pajamas pants and fresh bandages out of one of the grocery bags for Zack. She thought it might be nice for him to sleep in something more comfortable than his clothes for once. The motel had a coin laundry room, maybe she could try to get at least some of the blood out of his favored attire. The little blonde knocked on the bathroom door.

"Ray? That you?"

"Yeah, I brought some fresh bandages and pants for you." unsurprisingly the man could be heard scowling. He had told her multiple times the clothes he had were just fine.

She had decided to ignore his ranting this time. Knowing he would more than likely be appreciative at the prospect of being able to move about a tad bit more freely. Plus tonight she had an excuse to get him a few things.

"Tch, what's wrong with the clothes I have?" the bathroom door cracked open just enough for his scarred arm to reach out taking the pants and bandages from her.

He still wouldn't allow her to see his whole body without without the bandages. She wondered if he ever would trust her enough to allow her to see him so she could help with his wrappings. Though it didn't seem to matter if she assured him she didn't care, he would be Zack to her no matter what. He was just too...ashamed? Thinking about it made her sad, he shouldn't have to feel that way about himself.

"Your clothes have blood stains...and I got the pajamas for you so you could be more comfortable." An annoyed grunt was all she got in response.

Zack always took a while since he had to rewrap himself. Taking the time she would have to herself , Rachel changed into her own PJs, a gray sweater, some little baby blue pajamas shorts and white knee high socks.

Sighing she reached for the remote and turned on the television while preparing some microwave dinners that had been on sale. Not exactly the tastiest things in the world, but they couldn't really be too picky given their situation. Food was food.

" _After 2 months of endless searching the trail for mass murderer Isaac Foster and missing teen Rachel Gardner has gone cold."_

The screen shifted to a pretty brunette reporter and an older man, most likely someone from the police department.

 _Reporter : Chief Reynolds, do you intend to completely call off the search for the killer and Ms. Gardner?_

 _Chief Reynolds looked annoyed " Of course not, we will continue looking until we find them. The search has just had a few hiccups. Rest assured the killer WILL be caught and executed and the girl will be taken to safety_

 _Reporter "How can you be sure that Ms. Gardner is still alive?"_

 _Chief Reynolds: " When we first recovered the girl she had been shot but not by Isaac Foster. It is unclear why he had her and had not killed her. However I feel it is safe to assume that she is still alive. There was no sign of a struggle in the room, I believe she went with him willingly. I don't think he has killed her. Though I am concerned that he may have darker intentions with the young girl. We suspect that the two were held up for sometime in the building that burned down. He may have been grooming her."_

 _Reporter "Are you saying that Mr. Foster has gone from just killing to the sexual abuse of min-_

Rachel let out a short cry jumping in surprise, Zack now bandaged and dressed in his new pajama pants, slammed a fist into the t.v cracking the screen. She hadn't even noticed him leave the bathroom. Ray quickly turned hit the power button on the remote. Isaac looked furious.

"Why the hell are you watching that? Fucking bastards, they really think I'd stoop that low. Its freakin SICKENING! Now I'm fuckin' pissed" His frame shook with anger. His gaze darkening with that predatory red gleam. Killing or breaking shit was how Zack grew up learning to cope with anger.

Ray quickly stood up knowing what was going through his head. Gently taking his hand to get his attention staring intently into his dangerous gaze. Anyone else would have panicked at those eyes, whereas Rachel was completely unphased.

"Calm down. It's okay. What they say isn't true and it doesn't matter." She smiled a little "I was watching to see if they were still onto us...it seems they don't know where to look anymore...that means we can relax a little bit...but if you go out and start killing people then they might find us again."

Zack had been pretty on edge the past week or so. That annoying chill kept resurfacing. He wanted to kill so bad it was nearly driving him insane. The news painting him as some sick pediofiliac made his blood boil. If he ever saw that cop or news reporter he would slash em. Of course he knew she was right. He needed to restrain himself. Rachel's hand over his combined with her logic and reasoning was just enough to calm himself down at least enough to not grab his weapon bolt out the door and cut down the first person he saw.

"Gaaahh! FINE!" he removed himself from her grasp and sat with a huff onto the bed. Still fuming.

 _He's going to snap soon. I don't know how long I can keep him from killing someone._ Not that she felt much of anything towards anyone who might meet that unfortunate fate...but it would really inconvenience them. Ray frowned to herself as she walked into the little mini kitchen to bring him his dinner. _Even when he's like this he shows no interest towards killing me…_

Zack scrunched up his face, it was some kind of meat and carrots...and broccoli? _Gross._

"I thought you said you were going to get FOOD?" he poked his little plastic fork at the nasty green shit evading his plate.

"You can't live off soda, cereal and snacks…" she had her trademark blank lifeless doll stare.

Zack grumbled something about her acting like she was his mom that she couldn't quite hear and forced his frozen dinner down, his face contorting in disgust as if he might vomit; she couldn't help but smile just a little. She even came close to laughing at how ridiculous he was acting over it. Luckily he was too busy trying not to gag to notice.

"Don't ever make me eat this shit again, Ray." he gagged.

The petite girl smiled turning to the bags next to her.

"Here." She'd pulled out a bag of his favorite chips and soda which he snatched from her without hesitation.

"SERIOUSLY?! You made me eat that shit when you had these in there all along? What the hell?" His scowl faded a little popping a few chips into his mouth.

"I told you. You can't live off just chips and soda. Here I got these for you too" reaching into the last bag she pulled out a dark green fur lined hoodie along with some dark wash jeans.

Zack eyed the clothes through the corner of his eye warily. Secretly he was a little touched she had thought to get him anything. Not that he would admit it.

"Ya don't have to do that, Ray." He grabbed the clothes from her, placing them on the nightstand between the beds.

"I know. I just thought you might like to have something else to wear for once." a little small but genuine smile lit up her face, causing her companion to blink a few times in surprise as he sipped his soda. She shrugged trying to appear nonchalant."It's December 24th. I guess you can think of it as a christmas present"

Isaac nearly choked expelling some brown liquid from his mouth. "WHAT?"

"A Christmas pr-"

"Shut up I know what Christmas is...just never celebrated it." His heterochromatic eyes stared down at the floor. If his face had been bare she would've noticed their slight change in color hidden behind his wrappings.

"Oh..."

"Yeah, too many peppy folks." Isaac's featured twisted into his trademark predatory grin. Laughing at the various memories that flashed through his mind's eye; though he never recalled the faces of those he killed "I usually spent it slicing those stupid happy grins from their faces!"

"I see...I guess that makes sense." Rachel supposed that's how he probably was during most holidays.

"What about you? Your piss poor excuse of a family celebrated it?" He asked seeming genuinely curious.

Ray nodded. "Yeah...big holidays were some of the only good days I ever had. There would always be a lot of people around. So my parents would actually be nice to me...I wouldn't get beaten on holidays and on christmas they would get me a present, so that if someone asked what I got for christmas I'd have something to show them."

"Well that's pretty messed up…" he pondered his own past.

He couldn't recall any good memories of christmas...not even from when he lived with his mom. That or he just chose to not remember. He resented the woman for leaving him in hell on earth. Refusing to remember any of the good things...if there was any.

"Zack? Thinking about something?" She sat with her knees pulled up to her chest, looking at him quizzically.

"Huh? Ehh nah its nothin." He didn't really want to get into it. "Well….thanks….I guess...sorry I didn't get ya anything in return."

"That's okay Zack." She would have been very surprised if he had thought to get her anything to be honest.

Maybe she could try to help him experience at least a little bit of the good she did on holidays. Afterall in terms of her life before him those were the only half decent memories she had. Perhaps with her help he could start having some good memories of his own.

***March***

"You've done good Ray. Can't say I would've gotten this far without ya." Zack was stuffing himself, with the french toast she had made that morning. Rachel did know how to cook fairly well. It was rare when her parents would make anything for her so she had no choice but to teach herself. She took a little pride in her work. It'd been a while since either of them had a proper meal. If Zack ever had one to begin with.

Ray had gotten lucky and come across a couple packing bags into their vehicle talking excitedly about their 2 week vacation in the Bahamas.(Zack usually kept a distance to prevent himself from snapping into a bloodthirsty monster at the sight of overly happy he'd done quite well at restraining himself, Ray wondered how long before he wouldn't be able to help but give into his bloodlust.) Even more lucky they had used a spare key to lock the door which they placed under one of those porcupine statues used to clean the dirt from your shoes. Completely unaware of the petite girl watching them through the trees the couple left.

It was one of those really nice homes. Not super big but nice, in the kind of neighborhood where all the houses were hidden within the depths of deciduous woods and evergreens.

Day three, and the 2 hadn't left the house at all deciding it was best to just take advantage of the cover while it lasted.

"Hey Zack?" Ray still hadn't asked exactly HOW Zack had escaped, she'd been much too focused just trying to catch a break for themselves. At last they finally had some time to just relax for longer than a single day.

"Whats up?" He eyed her half eaten french toast. Rachel expelled a small giggle and pushed it towards him, his eyes lit up happily, fork about to go into his mouth, he paused and blinked, "You…?"

"Me what?"

"You just laughed."

"Oh...did it make you want to kill me?" she looked a little hopeful.

"Oddly...no. It was...nice coming from ya."Ray cocked her head at him; Zack quickly redirected his attention back to the food in front of him. He was definitely embarrassed. "Anyyywaaay...uh yeeah...whats up?"

"It's nothing really I was just wondering how you got away...you weren't even in prison clothes...and how did you get a scythe again?" she eyed the weapon leaning against the wall feeling a slight rush of nostalgia.

"Oh. To be honest I don't really know. I was set to be executed when this prison guard I didn't recognize came to get me. He loaded me into avan…come to think of it it was pretty weird that he was by himself. I couldn't see his face since he was wearing sunglasses and a hat. The guy drove off... pulled over into one of the alleyways. He had a gun to my head so at first I assumed he was one of those dirty cops that just wanted to do the job himself."the serial killer smirked dangerously ruffling his black hair "Thought maybe I'd offed someone he knew... I almost made a move on the guy. Would've been easy too."

"What then?"

"Uhh he told me to relax that he was letting me go. So I let him live..he uncuffed me, gave me my clothes and pointed to a box by a wall...which had the scythe...then he told me where ya were...what window and everything...and then he just drove off?"

"Just like that? No explanation?" That seemed odd. Why would a stranger want to set a notorious murderer free? Even more odd why would he tell him where she was and how would he know to begin with?

"Nah, I was too surprised to ask any questions..." Zack regretted that he hadn't asked for more details.

Ray's hummed, "Tell me again what happened...after the doctor shot me and I passed out."

"Uhhh, well he tried to finish the job but the old man stopped him...shot him with a crossbow." Just remembering peepers creepers was enough to irritate Zack "The reverend said he was letting us go. Told me to take ya and go. I don't know what happened after that. Though I do recall over hearing some cops say they found one body burnt beyond recognition."

"Just one body? Hmm well given his condition I think it's safe to say the body they found must have been Doctor Danny."

"Fuckin' better have been. If I have to kill that guy again I'll make sure to slice him into bits to be sure he doesn't come back." Isaac scowled.

"Yeah...anyway...the only people who would know the true story about us are the people from that building. Since 3 of the 4 we know for certain are dead...that leaves…"

Zacks eyes widened understanding what she was getting at, "The priest...he must have survived. You think he was the one who helped out?"

"I think it's highly probable...when I was on his floor he was somehow using illusions...they all felt so real it took me sometime to realize the things I was seeing were fake. He could've made the cops see something else and walked right by all of them without them noticing."

"Okay...I guess that makes the most sense...but why would he even bother?" Isaac had a good question...why...Ray recalled her conversations with the old man. He really had seemed to have a soft spot for Zack.

It made more sense than anything else she could conjure up, he must have some real power, connections and money to be able to maintain the murder hole without raising any suspicion from the authorities. She hadn't even thought til now about whether or not he had survived.

"He had a soft spot for you...maybe he viewed you like you were his son or something." Ray shrugged sipping her coffee.

"Blllrgggggh!" Zacks face showed utter disgust. " The hell? You trying to make me hurl? Don't say creepy shit like that!"

"Anyway...it's the only thing that makes sense to me." Ray had a habit of holding the knuckle of her index finger to her lips while she sorted things out. Her thinking face. "He had to of been the one to help you out. I wonder if we should try to find him..and get some answers. I just don't know if I trust him."

Zack fixated on her face. She still looked lifeless most of the time, but less so than the walking corpse he had teamed up with to escape that hell hole of a building.

"I know what ya mean...though he also saved my dumb ass after I fell threw that stupid ass trap back on your floor. If it wasn't for him never would've figured that shit out." he got slightly agitated by the memory.

It all made sense. It had to be Gray. No one else would know about their bond. Since escaping, Ray couldn't even ask questions about Zack without it getting chalked up to stockholm syndrome.

"I'm sorry you almost died." She meant it.

She was sorry for everything that happened on that floor. Well not everything. She had snapped and the monster inside her had been released. Zack had multiple chances to end her pitiful life...but he didn't. He saved her and helped her accept everything she had done...and herself. Her feelings of deserving death remained unchanged; but she could accept herself now.

"Yeah…well it's in the past now. I'm alive. You're alive..we're ALIVE." She could feel his mismatched eyes burning through her. Sometimes his gaze so intense even she couldn't help but get this feeling...and she felt for a moment that maybe...just maybe her soul hadn't been completely destroyed.

"Yeah...we're..alive."

"Tch, only you would look so gloomy about that." Though for a moment she hadn't. He saw something. It was brief but it was alive. "Anyway, you wanna try to find the guy?"

"Hmm...well...I wouldn't know where to look. Though my guess would be a church."

The only problem with that is which church. It had to be one of the ones back in the same city that they had fled months ago if he even was there.

Her bandaged companion groaned.

"Shit...thinking back. The guy in the car made a comment about a huge ass church we were passing that really reminded me of Gray's floor...but that would mean we'd have to go back wouldn't it?"

Ray stared blankly at him. Did he just put all that together on his own?

"What? Why do ya look so surprised? I may not be the smartest but I can remember shit sometimes okay?" Isaac's eye narrowed, the petite girl dodged his hand to avoid a flick in the forehead.

"Right...well. Yeah we would have to go back to find Gray."

She felt less skeptical about the man after being told how he had saved Zack twice and allowed them to escape the building. Perhaps hunting the old priest down would prove fruitful. Not to mention if he had mentioned a church to Zack...maybe he was hoping for them to come find him. Getting back wouldn't be easy though.

Only reason they had gotten as far as they did was by pure chance. They didn't really know the exact location they would be ending up. It hadn't mattered as long as they got far away as possible. They decided to stay in this area for now since the pair was not as well known as they were in other states. They might have been in the news papers sometimes; but not on the front page.

"Well shit, how the hell are we supposed to get all the way back? We are half across the country from that shithole." Zack stood up ruffling his raven hair scowling.

Ray knew that look. Anytime the situation got complicated it was highly probable he was about to go into one of his fits that resulted in destruction.

"Zack. Stop. We can't break things." Last thing they needed was for that couple to call the cops about a break in once they returned home.

"Shut up! I know that! HEY! What the hell? Back off brat!"

The top of her head came only to his chest, small arms wrapped around his torso. Had his face been naked his embarrassment would have been all too obvious.

"If you minded it that much, then you would have pushed me off." She had a good point. Why didn't he push her off? He didn't know what to argue without lying. The tall 21 year old didn't hug her back exactly, just awkwardly patted her back. "Just relax Zack, we'll figure out something. For now we can just stay here. Oh!"

Ray walked over to what must've been the residents junk drawer and pulled out the flesh colored stress ball she had seen earlier while searching for utensils. "Here take this"

Her delicate hand deposited the ball into his larger bandaged one. "Whats this?"

"It's a stress ball...you squeeze it to feel better."

"Seems stupid to me but okay…" He began squeezing the ball absentmindedly. "Hey! This actually works! Eh? The hells wrong with yer face?"

Rachel was turning red, covering her mouth trying desperately to not bust out laughing. She hadn't realized what the ball was actually supposed to look like until she noticed the pink bud squeezing out between Zack's digits. This really confused her companion he had never seen this face before.

"What the hell Ray? Are...are you laughing?" he followed her watering gaze to the object in his hand. Fully opening his palm. "THE FUCK? IT'S A FUCKIN" TIT?"

She couldn't hold back any longer, the little blondes knees gave out collapsing to the floor laughing. When was the last time she had laughed? Really laughed? She didn't know but she couldn't help herself.

Zack hurled the boob shaped sphere at her expelling even more giggles. A huge smile creeping up his bandaged face. "Damn Ray." He too was laughing maniacally at this point. He was confused though, her laugh...it didn't anger him. It was contagious causing him to laugh in return. What the hell what happening to him? Shouldn't he want to cut her down? No he didn't want that. Her laugh was too beautiful.

Rachel spent the following two days trying to come up with a plan to return to the hell they had been so desperate to run away from. It wouldn't be easy.

When not mulling over how to be useful her and Zack would play simple board or card games, but mostly they spent a lot of time watching movies or T.V shows on an online streaming service. It was something they found they really enjoyed doing together. Zack found any horror film to be hilarious and unrealistic. Rachel seemed content with just about anything. Or rather if she didn't like something she wouldn't give any indication especially if Zack seemed to enjoy it. More often than not she would just fall asleep anyway. The softer parts of the hooded killers personality which he kept hidden most of the time would emerge when no one was awake to see it. He would pick her up and tuck into the bed then take the opportunity to shower and replace his bandages.

They slept in the same room... despite there being an extra bedroom. It'd just become habit. As had Zack allowing her to huddle up to his back in the middle of the night. The closeness still embarrassed him to an extent; but since it'd gotten colder he stopped objecting or trying to push her small body away. He kept his clothes on even while sleeping anyway so it wasn't really a huge deal. Though that excuse would no longer be valid soon seeing as warmer weather would be on the way.

They were in the middle of the extended edition of "The Return of the King" when Rachel felt sharp aching pains in her lower abdomen. Reflexively she clutched at her stomach.

"Ya okay?" Heterochromatic eyes scanned the blonde clutching her sides. She couldn't lie to him. Zack hates liars.

"I think it's just a stomach ache. I'm going to go lay down in the bed a bit, you keep watching. I should be okay." It hurt. It really hurt like her insides were being ripped apart. She wasn't exactly sure it was a stomach ache. No stomach aches weren't usually in your lower abdomen.

Zack gazed at her softly "Ya sure? Want me to lay down with you?", he couldn't help himself when she was hurting. It was another time his gentle side always came out for Rachel because he didn't like it. He didn't want her to hurt.

Ray remained leaning against his side a little longer while he stroked her hair. A rare gesture that she really enjoyed. He only did it when she needed comfort.

"No I'll be alright.."

"Kay. If you need anything let me know."

"Okay I will."

Laying on the bed for 10 minutes didn't seem to help. The cramping would come and was going on? Ray hobbled into the bathroom clutching her sides. There was a fairly large corner tub with jets. _Hm, maybe warm water would help._ She reachout one small hand to fill the tub and adjust the temperature to her liking.

A faint smile crossed her lips recalling poor Zack getting into that nasty cold water on B4 in order to activate a trigger to open a door in that back room. He hadn't been happy about that at all.

A purple bottle on the corner of the tub caught her eye. Twisting the cap off she poured a quarter of the floral scented contents into the water which began to fill with foamy bubbles. Stripping off her blue tank top and pj bottoms Ray settled into the warm bubble bath with a contented sigh. She hadn't had a bubble bath since who knows when. Probably not since before things had started to go so terribly wrong back at home. She wouldn't focus on that though. It was still too painful.

The cramping didn't leave completely but it was bearable now. Zack's footsteps moved in the bedroom. She figured he'd check on her. Few seconds later a gentle knock on the door, which she had forgotten to close all the way.

"Ya good Ray?"

Blue eyes fluttered open, a cry of surprise escaping her lips. The water had turned pink. _Blood?_ Ray clutched the side of the tub with both arms. Now it made sense. She'd had the education about menstrual cycles that most girls got when they were younger than herself. She had forgotten about them though.

"Ray?" the door swung open Zack looked worried about to rush over and scoop her up clothes or no clothes, embarrassed or not.

"ZACK NO!" he halted his advance stopping 2 feet away eyes whirling with concern eyeing the water and the pink droplets that dripped from her arms.

"Ray if your hurt I don't care about ya being naked!" he closed the gap and knelt in front of the tub. It wasn't like he could see anything anyway with the position she was in and all the bubbles.

"Don't..I...I'm not hurt." she turned her head away feeling her face turning red.

"Then how do ya explain the blood?" Isaac was not convinced, but he wouldn't reach for her when she was awake to tell him not to.

This was awful. Simply awful, of all times for this to happen. She knew he had no education and she was going to have to explain all of it to him. It could be easy to forget that he was the adult and she was the teenager.

"I ..uh.." she hesitated not looking forward to this conversation "I got my first period...that's why there's blood."

"Hah? What is that suppose to mean? You know I don't know shit right?"

Rachel explained in the simplest terms she could find how women got periods and why, Zack's eyes widening more and more with each piece of information. He just stared at her trying to mouth something…

"TCH! That's freakin' disgusting! But I'm sorry it hurts." He hung onto his resolve to be helpful despite his disgust. He could see how embarrassed she was. "So...what do you need?"

Ray pointed to a pink box resting on a shelf above the toilet. He placed it within reach for her and set out a towel. "Your gonna need a real shower now...even your hair is a little pink. Don't wanna look like that prison queen bitch do ya?"

"Yeah...thank you." on a positive note her cramps were gone. But oh my goodness that was embarrassing.

"Ick, freakin gross. So this is your first time?" he asked standing up.

"Yeah. Most girls have it younger...but I'm kind of abnormal anyway."

"Ya think?" Zacks eyes changed from sympathetic to embarrassed. Pulling his hood over his eyes the killer closed the door behind him.

Thank goodness that's over. Ray was really grateful to him though. He could see how embarrassed she was and toned down how weird he must've felt and made sure she was taken care of instead. _There's that warm feeling in my chest again. Whenever I feel this its linked to him. How does he do this? Its like...I don't feel so...dead anymore. I feel happy._ Smiling she cleaned herself up and prepared for bed.

Zack was laying on top of the covers when Ray came out of the bathroom. What an awkward as hell situation. He understood only a portion of what a 'period' was. Once a month. Pain. Ability to get pregnant. Bleeding from down there...moodiness. Sounds awful and he felt a little sorry for her. Yeah it was gross, but she looked far more embarrassed than he was. Well till he remembered she was in the tub...and blood or no blood she was cute. Shit. The things that girl could get him to do. It was okay though. She was the only one to treat him normal. Something he could never thank her enough for. He could at least try to show her through his actions.

"Your still awake?"

She was cute in her little tank top and pajama pants, wet blonde her sticking to her face, looking even longer when wet.

"Yeah, I wanted to make sure you were alright. Your not going to bleed all over the bed are ya?" Internally he cringed a little, last thing he wanted would be to wake up in a puddle of vagina blood. Not that blood bothered him...but in this context it just weirded him out.

"Well the things in that pink box should prevent that from happening." He didn't even wanna know how "But if your worried about it I can go sleep in the other room."

She looked so embarrassed, made him feel guilty for even asking that question. He looked at her softly to try to relay his words even more through his eyes "Nah it's alright, glad your okay and it's...uhh..something normal. Heh..ya know your eyes have gotten brighter over the past two months." He couldn't help but smile while also realizing..he still had no desire to end that life which had become so precious to him. Not even when his bloodlust and predatory instincts fought to take over.

Ray huddled up to him. "I think that's because I'm with you Zack."

He muttered something inaudible under his breath pulling his hood down even further and facing away from her.

"Night, Ray"

It was the truth. She wasn't sure why he seemed so embarrassed by it.

"Night, Zack."


	3. Chapter 3

Ray's discomfort clung to her over the next 2 days. It was off and on but painful, why'd it have to hurt that much. She really got the short end of the stick apparently.

Zack was as sympathetic as someone like him could be. He tried to help a little with meals. There was some leftovers in the fridge Rachel had cooked earlier; that he was able to heat up in the microwave following Ray's instruction.

"Zack! You have to take the foil off!"

"Quit nit pickin' me! What's the big deal?" Ignoring her he place the dinner into the microwave with the foil still on.

Bi colored eyes widened as the little blonde lunged from across the room to save them from disaster by turning the microwave off, sighing relief that she got to it before the metal sheet began sparking.

"If you put foil in there it _will blow up!_ " her scolding did nothing to phase him, to her dismay it instead it lit a mischievous fire in his eyes.

"Really!? Then what'd ya turn it off for!" it'd been too long since he had been able to feed his destructive tendencies. Every Time he'd tried Ray had been there like some sort of parent catching their child redhanded in the cookie jar. "C'mon Ray. Ya have any idea how damn bored I've been?"

"ZACK! We have to leave as little evidence of our stay here as possible!" There was an unusual amount of venom in her tone. She stood with her arms crossed glaring up at him. She did NOT want to put up with any of his bullshit. Nope not today.

Zack gawked at her for a moment before covering his eyes releasing a snicker, "Ah right...girl stuff, seems like even an emotionless doll like you can get moody huh? "

His teasing did nothing to improve her mood. Yeah she was a bit irritable. She was tired from staying up late trying to figure out how to get them back to state redacted not to mention the cramps she got several times throughout the day.

It was probably better to not respond, she knew she was being silly for getting annoyed at him. She didn't feel quite herself. She just didn't feel like dealing with it. So she removed the foil heated up the food placed Zacks on the table then decided to take her own food to the a desk in the vacant guest room. Also as a precaution she snagged the box of foil from the pantry...she wasn't going to risk it.

Zack got the message resolving let her be for now. He decided he didn't like this period business. It hurt Ray and made her act all weird. He sprawled out onto the couch intending to distract himself with some slasher movie. He really got a kick out of blood and guts was nothing too impressive for someone who slashed people as a hobby.

He was hoping she'd be back to her usual self soon. Though he would be lying if he said he hadn't been slightly amused seeing her angry face for the first time. Just the thought made him chuckle a little to himself.

It was around 9:30 PM that the little petite blonde finally emerged from hiding. As she passed through the living room into the kitchen towards the fridge she said nothing to her banadaged friend; who was eyeing her warily from the couch. He made no move to say anything either. Though the silence agitated him. He didn't know what the hell to do so he kept his trap shut. It was tempting to harass her just to get a reaction, but he would probably end up regretting it.

Ray rummaged through the pantry, looking for something to satisfy this intense sweet tooth which seemed to come from nowhere. _Sigh._ Of course the only thing she can find is a box of brownie mix...which is on the top shelf entirely out of her reach. If she wanted her sweets she was going to have to ask for help. Which meant apologizing. She wasn't really mad anymore, just didn't want to be the first to break the silence. He had been the idiot earlier, she had a right to be annoyed. Her thoughts didn't really make sense. Did periods really affect her mind that much? She sighed aloud, debating….should she continue to nurse hormone driven pride? Or get her sweets?

Zack was laying on his back on the couch his arms crossed overhead behind his nape. Ray walked around the couch standing in front of him with her head down so her eyes hid behind her bangs. He kept his focus on the television. Damn it could be a pain. He actually had to stop and think about his words since he actually CARED how they might effect the little blonde in front of him. Because she meant so much to him. To his great surprise small weight suddenly occupied his lap.

"HEY! What the hell Ray?"

She was straddling him head still lowered. His skin was hot with embarrassment Yet he couldn't seem to bring himself to remove her. _Ah shit….not now_...She slowly looked up locking her gaze with his her hands clasped together. That same face and motion she would make every time she asked that freaking question. _Shit I don't wanna deal with this 'please kill me' crap right now._

"Ray…."

"Zack….I'm sorry I snapped at you."

Well that was unexpected.

"I...uhh..it's okay Ray, I was being an asshole too." he placed his hands over hers and gave them a squeeze to reassure her. She lit up a little looking relieved.

"Its okay...also…"

Ah shit nevermind here comes the request he has heard ten thousand times.

"Zack... I want some fucking brownies...but they are on the top shelf...and I can't reach." Sapphire orbs bore pleading into his mismatched eyes.

Damn that was cute. He blinked. She cursed. Rachel Gardner just cursed and it was freaking adorable.

"Ray...you cursed!" Zack burst out laughing it had sounded so unnatural coming from her that it was funny. Her expression lightened a little into a small smile. He ruffled her hair. "But sure whatever the princess wants. Ya need ta get off me first though. The position your in is freakin' weird."

"Oh." It didn't seem to click with Ray why it might be weird. She had only done it to ensure she had his all of his attention. Rachel merely apologized, hopped off and followed Isaac to the kitchen. Eager to start prepping her sweets. "I guess sweets cravings is also a symptom."

"So next time you get all pissy just bring ya something sweet?"

The decadent aroma of brownies baking already permeated both of their nostrils; causing their mouths to water. They sat at the dining table while they waited for the sweets to finish baking.

"I guess you could try that. Errghh..." Ray clutched her stomach to endure another cramp. Sighing with relief once it passed she laid her head on top of her arms on the table.

"Damn...still hurts huh?" Zack pulled out the chair next to her and placed his hand on her lower back tracing circles with his hand. "That help?"

"Yeah it feels nice." She laid her head on the side so she could see his face. "Thank you Zack."

He averted his gaze but continued rubbing her lower back. "Yeah...no problem" it was the least he could do given the times she'd treated his wounds. Having someone around who cared, was something he'd not experienced since he had lived with that old man. It had really sucked when the old man died. However he felt closer to Ray than he did the old man. Her being gone, was painful to even imagine. Yet Zack had promised and he couldn't lie. Maybe he could negotiate a little.

"Ray...tell me, why do you still think you need to die? If you accepted yourself and God in no longer a factor...then why do you still want to die?" He couldn't keep that question to himself anymore. He needed an answer.

The oven timer went off before she could respond. " me get these out." She got searched for an oven mitt to retrieve her craving. She was going to try to dodge his question.

Ray didn't like thinking about it much less talking about it. She hated to recall the insanity within her. The greatest source of herself loathing. She grew up hated with little love. Especially not from the two people who were _supposed_ to love her more than anyone else. No. They hadn't loved her they hated her. They told her so numerous times. She shouldn't be alive. She was insane.

"Ray...answer the damn question." Typical Ray...avoiding complicated questions. He knew she was uncomfortable speaking of anything that would remind her of her past. He felt the same in regards to himself yet after everything he felt he deserved an answer.

 _Sigh_ "Okay Zack." she pondered her thoughts while dipping up a serving for each of them.

"It's true I accept myself, you helped me do that. It doesn't change what I did though. It doesn't change what I can _do._ It doesn't change the fact that I have an insane side of myself. I accept it is there. But I don't want it, I don't want to worry about that other side. I don't want to snap again and wake up sewing something or someone together. That side of myself...it disgusts me. I am disgusted by myself and the things I did...even if i have accepted them."

So that was it...she was afraid of herself and was filled with self loathing. He wasn't sure why but it made him feel something...sad? Empathetic?

"But you have me now. I won't let ya snap, Rachel." Zack hardly ever used her real name. His eyes had a hint of desperation. "And if ya do...I'll be here to bring ya back to your senses just like before."

Rachel met his gaze, swallowing a chunk of brownie before answering. "Zack...are you saying...that you no longer desire my death?" Her expression was unreadable.

The bandaged man was selective with his words his eyes never leaving hers, "I desire to hold your life in my hands. When the day comes...it will be me who ends your life Ray. But...for now...I desire to have you in life. It's been...nice havin' ya around. I don't want to be alone again Ray. I want to have ya around for a long while…"

There he did it...voicing his feelings into words was difficult but he did it. He'd thought long and hard on how to convey what he felt through his words.

Rays eyes filled with tears her chest was warm. "Do you really mean that?"

Zack smiled pulling the young girl into an embrace. "C'mon Ray...you know me I don't lie."

"What if...i snap and you can't bring me back?" her question was serious.

"I'll bring ya back...I promise." he rested his chin on her blonde head while one hand stroked her hair. "Just..for now...please don't ask me to kill you just yet. For now just live Ray, ...okay?"

His soft voice and unexpected words made her throat tighten, her heart felt warm. A warmth she never had a taste of before knowing him. Maybe she could try...a little longer.

"Okay...I'll try my best to live for you, Zack."

"Good girl."

The following day had Rachel feeling much better not only physically but emotionally as well. It would take time to completely let go of her desire for death. However being desired in life...having Zack desire to have her alive held a lot more weight than she would suspect it to.

"Zack do you know how to drive?" she might have a solution that didn't involve them walking 1800 miles across the country. She doubted he would know though. Luckily the home had a computer and she was able to print out a map with a route to get back. If they had to walk so be it.

"Uhhh, kinda. Might've tried it a few times." he sat next to her on the couch.

"I figured as much...well I have the route mapped out. It will just take us a while to get back on foot. We could try sneaking rides again...but we could end up who knows where. My other thought was to get a vehicle...but sounds like that might not be a good idea.." She could probably pick up driving pretty quick but her size made her young age much too apparent.

"How far is it again?"

"Roughly 1800 miles." Ray sighed, it would be a long journey. Though it didn't seem they had much choice.

"Shit...thats far...but...we can't stay here gonna have to take off eventually." He was right, the time they had now was a luxury they would seldom receive. Their life was to constantly be on the move.

Ray hoped it wouldn't be forever. Finding Gray could turn out to be a mistake. She knew that, but she doubted he would do them any harm...what if he had a way to help them? It was a chance she was willing to take. If it didn't work out...well they would cross that bridge when they came to it.

Deep in thoughts and fantasies of being able to finally have a place they could call home, she removed their clean clothes from the dryer and proceeded with what had been a daily ritual since their stay. She cleaned every room and kept all their things packed into the backpack. Leaving the home how it was when they came in...well minus a few food items and maybe 1 or 2 extra trash bags in the trash can that weren't there before. They needed to be ready to leave at a moments notice in case something happened.

If she trusted Zack with driving...getting a vehicle would help a lot. They would have to save a lot of cash though in order to buy from an individual seller. That would take a while. Figuring out license plating was a whole different issue. Not to mention given Zack's destructive tendencies it would probably end up be a bad idea. Not to mention if they got pulled over they would really be in some big trouble.

A sharp knock on the front door snapped her from her thoughts. Zack could be heard cursing in the living room. Quickly grabbing her bag, Ray met up with the bandaged man who was now gripping his scythe. She motioned for him to stay as she quietly tiptoed to the door to look out the little peep hole. Thank goodness there was no windows around the front door.

On the other side was a middle aged brunette, he was finely dressed in a long grey suit jacket, carrying a black suitcase. Something about the guy rubbed her the wrong way.

He knocked once more, calling out, "I know you're in there..I just want to talk..."

Ray's heart was pounding….she didn't know who this man was and she didn't want to find out. She wouldn't let him take her or Zack.

"We need to leave out the back and get to the woods quickly. I don't think killing him here would be wise…" she whispered to her partner, who was scowling. He would have preferred to slice the guys head off, but she was right it wouldn't do to kill him here.

Zack took the backpack and his weapon since he could carry the extra weight with no trouble. The duo pulled on their shoes quietly exiting through the back running as fast as their legs could carry them into the woods.

Rachel was a bit sad that they had to leave so soon, she had enjoyed staying in that house.

It wasn't long till her legs were burning, luckily it didn't seem like that guy had followed them. They would probably be camping out in the middle of the woods tonight...they could hardly see where they were. Nothing but trees surrounded them. They would need to wait til daybreak to relocate themselves.

"Zack I can't run anymore."

Her legs felt like jello, gasping for air she hunched over; her hands on her thighs.

"Alright...we should be far enough now. Shit I can hardly see."

Ray's small hand brushed his arm trying to slide the backpack off his shoulder. He could barely see her rummaging through to pull out a small lantern which she turned on. They were in a small clearing,in the woods..traffic could be heard nearby though they couldn't see the road.

"Who was that guy? Police?".

Rachel used the lanturn so she could see to gather stones, wood and clear a little spot for a campfire...though less wary than before, even the little flame Ray assured Zack was safe caused some apprehension for her companion.

"I'm not sure...I don't think he was a cop...he didn't look like someone like that..I don't know who he could be or how he could have known we were in there."

The situation left both of them highly unsettled. They hadn't left the house at all, it was unlikely that a neighbor or passerby saw them. Though it was possible.

Who was that man. She hoped they would never find out.

Ray was glad she had thought to shove a couple water bottles and snacks into the backpack.

They ate in silence, Ray plopped down on the ground. Zack paced back and forth; his weapon slung over his shoulder, a habit she had observed since their time in the murder tower. Anytime he was agitated and on edge he would pace like this.

"FUCK! Should've let me cut the guy so we wouldn't be worrying about the bastard." his blade slung down breaking the soft ground in front of him.

"But then we would be worrying about more than just him...if he follows us out here then go for it…"

It was beginning to warm up during the day; however the nights were still pretty cold. She'd forgotten how cold it got out here. Reaching into the bag once more she pulled out her hoodie.

Zack sat down against a tree behind her, a surprised squeak escaped her lips as he had pulled her back up against him. "Zack?"

"Yer cold right...figured this would be warmer and more comfortable for you. Try to get some rest." He leaned his head back, already missing the soft bed. He'd be alright though he was used to this…

"Th-thank you. But what about you?" She leaned back so she could look at him.

He smiled a little ruffling her hair.

"Just worry about your own damn self...I'll be fine."

She was unconvinced, no way was that tree comfortable. She was really tired though. Sighing she leaned into his chest, taking in the warmth. He was pretty comfortable. It didn't take her long to drift off.

Zack had decided to stay up most of the night to keep watch wanting to sure they hadn't been followed. In a way he hoped that asshole had been dumb enough to follow. His body wouldn't be found way out here.

The man in the long grey coat sank into the seat of his black charger, with a heavy sigh he pulled out his phone dialing a sequence of numbers.

"Hello?" the other end of the line was answered by a male voice.

"Hey, it's me. sorry to bother you so late." He was exhausted, it'd been a long trip. He'd gotten so close only to have the serial killer and missing girl slip right through his fingers. Unfortunately busting the door down would not have been an option in this case.

"Were you successful in your search for Isaac Foster and Ms. Gardner?" the voice was hopeful.

"I tracked them to a house on the other side of the country. Looks like they were squatting here for a little while...when I knocked on the door they must've fled out the back. I have a tracker on them in the woods. Should I pursue them sir?"

"I think that would be unwise, if they suspect you may be following them Isaac will strike you down without hesitation. I would imagine the girl to be the easier of the two to try to interact with...wait for them to emerge in a more public location."

"Understood. Any other suggestions? Only one we have a tracker for is Isaac."

"That shouldn't be a problem, where ever Isaac Foster is..I am certain you will find the girl. Keep watch I am sure an opportunity will arise to confront her alone. And ..do be careful."

"Yes, sir. I'll do all I can to bring them to you." the brunette thumbed over the end call button.

This was going to be a pain in the ass. He owed the man a favor though and he would make sure he delivered. Why he had such interest in a missing girl and wanted serial killer was beyond him. Wasn't his place to ask questions.

Thumbing through his apps he clicked one that was tracking his targets. Looked like they had gone pretty deep into the woods.

"Guess I'll just have to bide my time for now." Placing the device in his pocket, the man sighed, cranked the key and was off to find a decent place to turn in for the night.

Ray woke up with a weight atop of her head. Zack had slumped forward in his sleep into an awkward position. His arms hung at his side, head awkwardly laid on her crown. His neck was probably going to hurt when he woke up and she couldn't exactly move with him like that. As gently as she could she readjusted him against the tree into what would hopefully be a slightly more comfortable felt a tad guilty that he had sacrificed his comfort for her own. Though it was greatly appreciated.

Standing up brushing any dirty from herself, Rachel took apart the firepit. It was important to leave as little trace of their presence as possible.

It was already starting to warm up; which wouldn't be much of an issue for Ray, but she wondered how Zack would do. She had a hard time seeing him in anything more warm weather friendly. Shrugging off her sweater and shoving it into the backpack she checked their food inventory...chips, a handful of protein bars and 3 bottles of water. _Gonna have to restock soon._

"Arrrgh! Shit…" her attention shifted to a grumpy sounding Zack. Judging from the way he massaged his at his neck she had been correct about him being sore.

" I knew it was a bad idea for you to sleep like that."

"Shut up! What we got to eat?" he glanced sleepily at her from the corner of his amber eye.

Ray dug into the bag and tossed him some chips and a protein bar. He ripped into the chips first of course.

Staring at her own pitiful breakfast, Ray couldn't help feeling a little down. She really enjoyed the extra time they had at that house. She hated that their little break had to be cut short. Even if it wasn't really theirs it was nice to have a small taste of what life would be like for them if they had their own place.

She would do anything to stay with Zack even if it meant being on the run the rest of her life. However there would always be that part of her that would like to have a place to call home.

"Ya okay Ray?"

"It's nothing important...are you ready to get moving?" Ray rummaged through her pockets for the piece of paper that would lead hopefully lead them to Abraham Gray. _Oh no._ It wasn't there. Next she dug through every nook and cranny of her bag.

Zack was watching her feeling a tad worried. "What's wrong? Still planning on finding the old man right?"

Ray met his gaze "That was the plan...but I think the map I printed out fell out of my pocket…."

"So? Can't ya just get another one."

"Yeah but we'd have to find a place with internet access and a printer. I can hear the highway, so it must be close...we can probably just follow it into the main city." It would probably be easier to find something like a library there.

"Alright... let's get going then."

The pair arrived into the city limits late at night. Seemed that luck was on their side tonight. Something must have happened, the blare of police other emergency vehicle sirens rang throughout the streets. They all seemed headed in the same direction. Smoke could be seen in the distance.

"Fire..."

The smell of a burning building in the distance wafted in the wind along with a sense of dread. That scent brought back way too many negative memories for Zack. It still made his knees a little weak.

Feeling some warmth envelop his bandaged hand, he looked down into a pair of ocean colored eyes. The same look of sympathy and understanding she'd given him over a year ago. Ray squeezed his hand. That face always confused him as emotions of irritation and appreciation warred with one another.

"Its okay Zack. We will stay away from it. At least this way most people will be too distracted to notice us. We should find a place to sleep. I think I saw an abandoned building back down that alleyway."

She tugged him down into the dimly lit alleyway towards what was probably once an office building. Most of the windows on the lower level had been vandalized.

"You can wait here. Okay?"

Ray motioned to an old sofa that someone had probably shoved in here at some point. Zack whirled on her.

"Hah? Where are you gonna go? You can't just wander around out there on your own dumbass."

The alleyways were no place for someone like her to go wandering around in the dead of night.

They had taken fairly safe routes to get where they were before. As such Rachel was still a bit oblivious to the dangers of the back alleyways.

"I was just going to go to that 24 hour convenience store a couple of blocks down. We need more food and supplies."

"Okay? So why do you have to go by yourself?"

Ray pointed to his scythe.

"Tch. I'll just hide it back here…"

There was a pile of discarded boxes and trash in the corner, it was a decent enough hiding place for Zack's weapon. He did still have the knife after all. He wasn't going to let her wander out there alone. Especially with all the commotion from the fire. There would probably be others who would take advantage of the situation.

Ray nodded, throwing her hair up into a bun and pulling her hood over her face, the pair walked down the alley and headed towards the store to restock on needed supplies.

Food, water and a couple rolls of bandages and they were set to go. As suspected no one paid them much attention. They were too busy discussing the apartment building that had gone up in flames.

Sensing Zack still was a bit uneasy Rachel grasped his hand once to soothe his nerves. The serial killer glanced down at their joined hands but didn't comment. It would be easier to stick together this way.

The alleyways were dark, only a single street lamp for a source of light. Zacks instincts told him they were being watched. He paused causing Rachel to look up at him quizzically. Releasing her hand the murderer withdrew the knife from his boot.

"Za-" a bandaged hand covered her mouth pulling her against him.

Isaac bent to her level so only she could hear him.

"We got company...stay behind me, soon as you get a chance make a run for it and hide. I'll take care of it." he said with a grin spreading across his face, a red gleam lighting mismatched orbs.

There were several pairs of footsteps in the darkness. Ray obeyed Zack's order to stand behind him.

Seven male figures became visible under the dimly lit alley. Given their matching black clothes and masks it must have been a gang that occupied the area. Zack crouched ready to wet his knife; genuinely looking forward to the fight that was about to happen.

"Looky what we got here! A freak and a pretty little girl." The largest of the seven brandished a club with nails protruding around the head. "I'll tell you what _freak_. You just hand over your little girlfriend and we'll let ya go without a fuss."

Zack bristled a little at the word _freak_ , but sensing their obvious intentions of what they wanted to do to Rachel just made his blood boil. Laughing maniacally the killer inside finally about to be set free he pointed his knife at the ringleader.

"Man your an idiot. Ya think I'm a coward little shit? No deal."

He grinned stepping into the light his bandaged features now visible from under his dark hood.

One of the group members released a gasp of recognition.

"Wa-wait. Your that killer….the one that escaped a max security prison!" The revelation caused the group to shuffle.

The leader however still was not deterred. "So what? There's one of him and seven of us. Bash that monster's head in and take the girl. I'm sure we'd get a good price for that one."

So they were human traffickers?

"You take little girls and sell them as fuck buddies, and you call me a monster?" The serial killers expression changed to one of pure disdain. Sure he was a murderer but even he had standards.

"Shut up! Who are you to judge us...after all isn't that what you've been using her for all a lo-" the speaker's voice was cut off by a gurgling sound.

The knife had slashed his throat so fast no one had time to react. Rachel took advantage of the confusion and took off so she wouldn't get in Zack's way. Isaac's laughter accompanied with the screams of fear and agony sent shivers down her spine.

As the sound of the commotion grew fainter she realized there was just one problem, she couldn't remember how to get to their little hideaway for the night. Although her eyes had adjusted to the darkness it still wasn't enough to see.

Zack was thoroughly enjoying himself. The first strike had been out of rage over a false accusation. But soon as the remaining six stood there astonished by his inhuman speed, the bloodlust that had been held back so long overtook him. In a haze of red he watched their faces turn to despair.

The leader gained his composure enough to swing at his enemies head, Zack ducked to the left and the blow came down on one of his dumbstruck companions. The nails sinking his to his skull he probably died instantly.

One quick stab to the stomach had the leader on his knees. Laughing the hooded killer retreated in an out of the shadows making quick slices here and there at the remaining five. He was toying with them. Not one was without injury. Some had knives others had clubs. It made no difference, their assailant was too quick and they never saw him coming.

One slash down the middle and a stab to the back of another's skull. Two of the three remaining tried to make a run for it only to get run down and butchered like animals.

Only one remained...barely alive and bleeding from his gut. His eyes wide in fear staring at the red glare and evil grin above him.

His voice trembled "Y-You really are...a m-monster!"

Still grinning the killer violently grasped the gang leader by the hair, blood splattered the ground and walls. The victims body fell to the ground; his head was punted with a crash at a nearby dumpster.

Rachel was lost, everything looked the same. Recalling times her and Zack took cover from the police a top one of the buildings she scanned her surroundings for a hidden ladder. Maybe she could gather herself on top of one of these buildings.

Even at the top of a building she still couldn't seem to figure out where she needed go. She had no weapon either if she were to run into any trouble.

"ZACK!"

Hopefully he would be able to hear her…footsteps behind filled her with short lived relief.

"There you-... _you_ again?"

Ray's heart sunk in her chest. For the first time in a long time she felt fear.

The man in the gray coat stood before her; his hands tucked into his pockets. A victorious smile spreading across his face.

"Hello...Rachel Gardner…"


	4. Chapter 4

"Hello...Rachel Gardner."

The man began to step towards the small blonde, her eyes wide with panic. How? How was this man finding them? How had he followed without their noticing? None of it made sense…

Stepping back towards the edge Ray shouted Zack's name as loud as she could and prayed he heard her and would be able to locate her position swiftly. She didn't know this man's intentions. Surely they weren't good. All she knew was that she trusted no one. No one but Zack, the only person who has always been there for her.

Soon as she shouted, the man's calm composure waivered. His dark eyes glanced around alert to his surroundings, his attention shifting to some device he wore around his wrist. .

"Please...calm down." he cautiously approached her hands in the air. Meant to be a non hostile gesture...a trick more than likely.

"Stay away!" Ray was already formulating her escape. She wouldn't be able to over power him; but she was quick and Zack had taught her a basic move about using her small size to her advantage. Her weak appearance could actually be a valuable asset. No one would ever expect someone like her to attempt to put up a fight. She would ask him to teach her more later..especially seeing as her running away got her into another dangerous predicament.

"I just want to talk..." he continued walking towards her nervously checking his device.

Ray noticed his distraction she could also use that to her advantage. His guard was not up towards her, he was far too worried about something else. More than likely he was afraid of Zack. Not that she could blame him if that was indeed the case.

When this new threat was within 4 feet from her; a gloved hand began into reach into his coat pocket. Rachel was taking no chances. The small blonde lunged into action giving him a quick sharp kick to the groin sending him to his knees with a yelp.

"You BITCH!"

Rachel wasted no time dashing to the ladder. In her frantic hurry she missed a step causing her to fall half way down. Though it wasn't super high pain shot through the hip she landed on and her knee stung. It hurt but was more than likely only bruised thankfully. She had no time to worry about that though all that mattered was escaping and finding Zack.

"I'M TRYING TO HELP YOU DAMN IT!"

Ray had taken cover inside an empty box by a dumpster; large enough for her to squeeze inside. She wouldn't fall for it, there was no one with a logical reason to help them(well except maybe Gray but even that wasn't certain). It had to be a trick...a lie.

"SHIT!" she heard hit shoes hit the ground but his furious shout followed by more curses was fading into the distance.

Her thought was that he had to be tracking them. However given that he didn't seem to know where she was that must mean...he was only able to track Zack. He must've been watching them and waiting for an opportunity to get her alone. Reasoning being obvious...she was a much easier target than her serial killer companion who probably would've cut him down before he could mutter a single syllable.

Maybe he would give up for now. Well at least for a while anyway. Ray almost relaxed but tensed up all over again as another pair of footsteps was headed in her direction. At this point there was no telling who she might encounter back here. She could see just a little through a small hole in the box. Whoever was there now had stopped in front of her; unaware of her presence. It was dark however, there was just enough light from a nearby street lamp to see just enough. Through the hole she could make out familiar boots and crimson trousers. Her heart jumped in her chest. _ZACK!_ Now she knew she was safe.

"Zack!" Ray popped out of her hiding space. Reaching out to hug her friend because she was so relieved, unfortunately landing painfully onto the rough pavement instead. Her antics had startled the killer causing him to jump back against the wall; his knife raised ready for another fight.

"WHAT THE FUCK! Ray? GEEZ! Ya can't go leapin' out like a damn jack in the box! Ya tryin' to give me a heart attack or somethin'?" the hooded killer huffed in annoyance.

Ray, rubbed her sore knees, they were probably skinned pretty good. Even so she couldn't help but smile at his reaction.

"I'm sorry. Did I scare you, Zack?"

Zack ruffled his black hair irritably, mumbling inaudibly under his breath. His expression shifted to one of concern as he studied her frame. She looked pretty roughed up.

"What happened? You look a bit banged up.'" His amber eye was always even more intense in the darkness almost as if it was glowing. Narrowing his eyes at her the serial killer reached a bandaged hand out to help her to her feet. Rachel had been so relieved to see him she'd almost forgotten the danger they were in.

"I ran into that man from the house…" She held a hand up to stop Zack from speaking "I'll explain later for now we need to get to find a place I know we are low on funds...but I'd like to find a motel or something."

Zack didn't like the idea of running again. "If he's out here, then let's just take care of the bastard!"

Ray shook her head. She could tell he was very uncomfortable with the whole situation. Not that Rachel liked it any better than he did, but she had no idea where the man might have gone. She just recalled him nervously checking that device after she called Zack's name. It was really suspicious. He was definitely tracking Zack. Assuming her hypothesis was correct he would be impossible to find as he was able to know their position and they had no way to know his.

"He's gone. Though I am definitely sure now that he is not a cop. We need to get somewhere safer. Go get your scythe. I think I might have an idea how he knows where we are."

Zack scowled "Even more reason to go after him then! Last time...we just ran away you got shot."

He did not want to repeat the same mistake. Had they gone with _his_ idea and tracked Danny down things might've gone a hell of alot different. Not that he was blaming her for what happened, it really didn't matter now. He just knew the longer that asshole was alive the more chances he would have to pull some shit. Ray was lucky to have gotten away at all.

"I know...but just trust me on this...we _won't_ be able to find him. I'll explain when we are someplace safe." Rachel kept her voice down incase they were being overheard.

Zack looked about to argue more, but in the end he agreed to at least hear her out. However if he didn't agree with her he _WOULD_ hunt that asshole down if it took him all damn night.

The motel was just on the outside of the back alley. No doubt it was the shabbiest place they had stayed in so far. Not surprising considering the whole area was super rundown. Probably a real hotspot for prostitutes and drug dealers. Though at this time of night the street was pretty empty. Even so Zack surprised her by holding her tightly against his side.

The intensity of his mismatched orbs daring anyone to try to get near her. Long as he was by her side she knew she would be safe even in the shadiest of places.

At least the rooms had outdoor access allowing Zack to sneak into their room with his weapon unnoticed. It really would be easier if he'd just settle for his knife. She knew better than to suggest her opinion on it though...after how that conversation went last time. Needless to say it was a pointless argument and a waste of time.

She couldn't deny it was weird the times she would see him without it. She'd been so used to him always having it. Before Zack asked her to live for him, she had been certain it was that blade which would end her life. She recalled feeling a tinge of sadness when his original weapon broke before they had completely escaped.

Ray turned to face Isaac. Ready to divulge what happened and her suspicions, a blood stained bandaged finger touched her lips before she could utter a word. An indication for her to hold her thoughts.

"You can talk in a bit, need ta take care of yer wounds first." Her companion commented adamantly; scanning over her bloodied knees.

Ray nodded, and speaking of wounds now that there was more light she realized that he was covered in blood and really needed to clean up. Sighing she couldn't help shaking her head. He just couldn't seem to help but make a mess of himself.

"You need to shower...your really dirty Zack. None of that is yours right?"

Zack rolled his eyes his silent way of saying _Duh_.

"Course it ain't!" his eyes lit up a huge grin on his face "But damn ya should've seen their faces Ray! I haven't had that much fun in ages!"

Ray sighed shaking her head once more and shoved him towards the bathroom.

"You shower first Zack…your way dirtier than I am"

"Tch, why yes ma'am boss lady!" Isaac dug through their bag for the pj pants she had gotten him this past December.

Deciding to clean up before addressing her legs, she stepped out from the shower. It seemed the adrenaline had faded she could really feel her now throbbing herself in the mirror she could see the skin from her hip to half down her thigh was discolored in black and blue. Definitely swollen but she was fairly certain that nothing was broken. It was going to hurt to walk for a few days.

 _Just great…._

Dressing herself in a baggy t shirt and pajama shorts she brushed her hair and teeth to get ready for bed.

Zack was waiting on the edge of the bed with the first aid kit. It was his turn to help her out with her injuries. Something he had taken to doing every now and then since they'd been on the run. He wanted to confirm with his own eyes that her injuries were not severe. Not that she could say much on the manner; Ray was essentially the same when it came to him getting hurt. Both might be a tad bit paranoid after nearly losing the other at one point.

"Geez Ray! The hell happened to you? That asshole do that to you?!" He was pretty upset. In one swift movement, Zack grasped her arm and gently pulled her towards him. He angled her to the side staring disapprovingly at her leg.

Ray stumbled a little; reflexively steadying herself by placing her small hands on his shoulders.

"Ah!" Ray jumped a little in surprise. She had not been expecting his hand reach out to push up the side of her shorts so that he could see the full extent of her bruised leg. Unlike her, he seemed unaffected by the gesture; his eyes and mind focused only on her discolored skin.. A bandaged thumb tracing over her to check the extent of her swelling.

"N-no...I-I got away before he could do anything...I..fell down a ladder from one of the buildings." she blushed feeling a little embarrassed.

Zack rolled his eyes and sat her down on the bed. Kneeling in front of her on the floor he began tending to her palms and knees. "What were ya doin' on top of a building?"

"Well...I kind of ...got lost." she twiddled her thumbs, ashamed by her inability to navigate the alleyways on her own.

"Geez Ray...can't even run away on your own huh?" Isaac bonked her on the head lightly then finished bandaging her injuries.

Ray stared down at the ground, bangs hiding her eyes "I guess not...I'm sorry".

"Tch. Well you're alright for the most part so I guess it's okay...so.." he placed himself on the bed beside her "What happened with that guy?"

Ray recounted how she was on the roof and the man had just come out of nowhere. How after she called Zack's name he seemed nervous and kept looking at a device on his wrist. He was so distracted checking it that he'd let his guard down. Which was what allowed her to incapacitate him so easy.(Zack praised her swift thinking)

"He is tracking us somehow…well you at least"

The question was how...what was he using to do it? While Zack had been in the shower she had carefully inspected all of his clothing and found nothing. Ray doubted it was a chip implant, the man was not with the police that much was very clear. He would've had no way to insert one without being noticed. More evidence that he was not a cop was that they otherwise would have been caught a long time ago. She shuddered anytime she thought about what would happen if they were to ever be captured by the authorities.

"The hell?! What a creep…" the serial killer scowled.

Ray agreed.

"I'm pretty sure that's what he was looking at on his wrist. He didn't pay it much attention til I called for you. He must have been trying to watch to make sure you weren't nearby."

He hadn't found her when she was hiding though, he had run off in the complete wrong direction...that or maybe he saw that Zack was nearby. No, he didn't get even close to where she had hidden he didn't know where she was.

"Smart guy." Zack smirked "He would've been dead already had I gotten to ya sooner."

Rachel nodded, nervously chewing her thumb "I don't know how he could be tracking you though I checked your clothes...found nothing...that worries me."

"Well...we'll just find the guy...well wait for him to show up anyway and I'll slash the fucker. Problem solved." Zack was grinning devilishly at the idea."

" I'm pretty sure he is only able to track you. When I hid in that box he had no idea where I was."

Which still made her wonder how he might be tracking Zack. There'd be little point trying to examine her companion for a chip. Isaac Foster had so many scars one new one would be impossible to pick out. Not to mention she doubted he would allowed her to try.

"For now I guess ya just gotta stay close." Zack stretched releasing a yawn. All the excitement must've made him a little sleepy. Rachel watched him move to the opposite side of the bed.

Ray followed his example getting under the covers. Zack as usual turned away from her. Though it wasn't cold anymore, Rachel scooted back to press her back against his out of habit. It made her feel more secure and he never seemed to mind. At least not anymore.

Pondering the events of the night had the young girl feeling what she supposed was sadness and also helplessness. Mostly the latter.

Ray felt a bit useless in the world of the back alleys...in Zack's world. She had a good head on her shoulders sure...but when it came to fighting she was useless...what if one day Zack needed help and she failed to save him because she couldn't fight? She felt bad having to rely on him so much when it came to street smarts and dealing with the dark sinister things that dwelt in his element. Afterall he himself would be lumped into said category of dark sinister things...to most people anyway. Not for her though...for her he was just that she was or ever had been blind to who he was. She just saw past it and accepted him as a whole. Plus she had her own darkness anyway which he had accepted as well.

However she couldn't help but think if only she had something to defend herself with or knew how to fight. More than basic cheapshots to help her get away anyway. Not that she'd be able to do much...but it would at least help her to feel somewhat more useful. With a handgun she would definitely feel more at ease.

"Hey, Zack?"

"Mmmh?"

He sounded close to sleep.

"I want to know how to actually fight...I know I won't be able to do much,but I would like to be able to do more than just run away when there are problems. If nothing else a gun would be nice." she was a good shot after all.

Sighing and probably slightly annoyed, Zack rolled over and turned her so she was facing him. His face was inches from hers. She wondered if he noticed how the color in her cheeks changed when he got close to her like that. Probably not. Luckily the lighting was pretty poor so he probably wouldn't be able to tell right now anyway.

"I can try to teach ya...a gun would be a good idea incase ya needed it. But...ya really don't need to be putting yourself in those situations. It's better for a brat like you to just run."

Ray pouted, making Zack chuckle a little.

"I just want to be more helpful…"

Zack flicked her forehead causing her to flinch.

"Then be helpful by makin' so I don't have to worry about needin' to save your weak ass!"

The little blonde broke eye contact. She really was useless in this instance wasn't she? Right she couldn't even locate herself earlier that night. Her getting lost could've have been way worse than it had been. Next time she might not be so lucky and she might get hurt or worse. She had gotten lucky with that guy. If she has to face him on her own again...well he probably wouldn't fall for the same trick twice.

"I'm sorry...I promise I'll do better next time."

Ray's eyes dimmed with regret for being so weak. So useless unable to defend herself. Zack was quick to pick up on her lowered self esteem. Bandaged fingers firmly gripped her chin forcing her to look him in the eyes.

"Don't look so depressed about it. I said I'd show ya. Doubt a brat like you would be able to do much...but you'll be able to at least defend yourself a bit better. "

Her spirits seemed to lift just a little. The thought of being able to be more useful made her happy. Zacks eyes widened caught off guard once again by Ray throwing her small arms around his neck.

"Thank you, Zack" her voice was slightly muffled by his chest. There was silence for a few minutes. Her expressions of gratitude still caught him off guard. Gratitude towards him...a killer was not something he felt he would ever get used to.

"Yeah…" Zack grumbled in response. "Now go to sleep…eh? Seriously? Damn brat!"

Ray had already passed out against his chest. He was getting used to being a bit more tactile. Before her he never let anyone so close. Huffing he couldn't help but acknowledge it was kind of cute.

 _Alright….just this once._

Just this once he'd let her sleep like that against him with no real purpose behind it. Yet still it felt awkward as hell. When they were outside and she was leaning against him while he was sitting up and it was cold it never felt awkward...well maybe a little at first.

Probably because there was a valid reasoning for it. Either him helping her be more comfortable or for warmth. It was for survival occasionally comfort… but this was...he didn't even know what he thought of it. _Annoying._ At least that's what he would have liked to tell himself. But what really was annoying to him was that _he_ didn't find it annoying at all.

His amber eye scanned the small females face...still looks like a damn doll when she sleeps.

"Whatever…" He scowled rolling his eyes turning the lamp off.

With the sun barely starting to rise, Ray was slowly waking up. Her left side felt really sore from her fall. Even more notable was the heavy warmth enveloping her, and the warm light breath on the crown of her head. She vaguely remembered hugging Zack last night...had she fallen asleep that fast? As her senses began to awaken more she realized he was facing her with one arm over her shoulder and his face buried into her hair.

He must've just let her stay as she was. Her cheeks flushed a little, she felt kind of touched. Zack mumbled a bit in his sleep as she quietly slid from under his arm. To be honest she was a little reluctant to move.

Ray examined his features surprised at what she saw. His face was so peaceful. She'd never really paid much attention to how different he looked when he was a sleep. He didn't look like someone who could slash a person in half with no remorse. He looked gentle, which she knew he definitely had that gentle side. She may be the only person who knows that though. No she was definitely the only person to know that because she was the only one he was comfortable enough to show those sides to. This realization came to her on several occasions and each time she couldn't help but smile.

Ray allowed Zack to continue sleeping while she flipped through the channels on the television; stopping on the local news. She turned off the volume and put on subtitles to make sure she didn't wake him on accident.

Of course the killings from last night were a huge topic of concern. Lucky for them this far out it was unlikely for the murders to be attributed to Zack. Which they weren't. Police assumed it was just typical gang violence. Reason it had gotten so much attention was the number of bodies and the brutality of the murders.

Even so it would be best for them to leave soon. Cops would surely be patrolling the alleys in an attempt to get to the bottom of the crime.

To her dismay Ray had found it to be rather painful to walk when she had gone to the restroom to brush her teeth earlier. Her leg was throbbing from the pressure. Her injury was definitely going to slow them down. It was relatively manageable at the moment but she knew once they really got going the pain would more than likely worsen. Zack really wasn't going to be happy about it. It didn't matter she would just have to deal with it.

They still needed to find a place where they could get the directions to the church. That was the whole point of being in this city in the first place.

A regular map would only help so much. It would be best for them to know exactly where to go once they got back to the city they started in. Wandering around struggling to search for the place would not be smart; seeing as there was probably a great abundance of people who would recognize them at this point.

 _Ohhh right._

She recalled sometimes motels had internet access and a printer. Checking a brochure that was left on the nightstand she was greatly relieved to find that this shady ass place did indeed have a guest computer and a printer.

New map in hand the pair decided to sleep as much as they could during the day and took off in the night.

Ray tried her best to conceal her limp, the further they went the more it hurt and the harder it was to hide the extent of her injury from Zack. She was really beginning to lag behind.

Zack stopped slinging his scythe across his shoulders using it to rest both of his arms, once he'd noticed he was several yards ahead of his companion. His eyes narrowed at her noticing her obvious limp and the pain written all over her face. It kind of annoyed him that she hadn't told him how much she was hurting.

"Ray...you okay?" his eyes staring at her intensely.

No she wasn't okay. Her leg and hip hurt. Really really hurt. She didn't want to be an inconvenience though. She would keep going as long as she had to.

She looked up at him and nodded. "I'm okay Zack."

She lied. She knew he hated lies but she just didn't want to disappoint him. Too late, because his glare said it all.

"Don't lie to me Ray…." his eyes were so intense she felt even smaller than she already did in the first place.

"Sorry Zack...my leg and hip hurt...but it's okay I can keep going. I don't want to slow us down." She really didn't.

Ray wanted to hurry up and complete their mission and hopefully they would be rewarded with some peace of mind.

"Tch. Well ya kinda already are...we aren't going to get far at this pace."

He ruffled his hair in annoyance. Not that he wasn't concerned for her; but he was also just as eager as she was to get a move on.

Even though it was dark they had still had to be really careful sneaking out of the city. Flashlights of the city police lit up the alley. Even if he personally was not on their radar; they still posed a danger and he really didn't feel like dealing with the aftermath of slicing up a bunch of cops.

Not to mention they both felt on edge knowing there was an unknown threat tracking them down. They wouldn't be safe until the threat was eliminated. _Fuck…_ Zack had felt really irritable since Ray had told him about that guy, and even more so that she'd hurt herself that much trying to get away.

But the girl needed to heal before they could really get moving. That much was obvious. They were barely outside the city and needed to distance themselves much as possible.

Ray stared down at her feet frowning. "I guess that true. I'm really sorry...I didn't mean to."

Zack ruffled her hair. "Shut it. I ain't blaming ya. Not your fault. But ya can't keep walking around like that."

There didn't seem to be any abandoned buildings around. Looked like they would be spending an unpleasant day or two of time camped out in the woods again. He grimaced at the thought. It was never comfortable out there. However they were low on money; Zack hadn't gotten much off those stupid thugs, and he wouldn't have Ray panhandling in her condition. So unfortunately they really had no choice. At least they now had a small tent and other camping supplies, Ray had thought it a good idea to get a hiking bag from the last store they were in.

"Well...into the woods again I guess…"

***June***

After just over two months to both their relief and dismay no sign of the man in grey. Though there had undeniably been several moments in which they felt certain they were being watched. The pair made sure to never seperate for long. That man really must've been too afraid to approach them when Zack was present. Which was unfortunate because Zack would _love_ to cut that fucker down. He wouldn't risk Rachel's safety though. She even offered to act as bait an idea he shot down immediately.

Sadly they really hadn't made much progress, only having walked 400 of the 1800 miles they had to go. Several hold ups had come about, Ray's injury had kept them camped out in the woods for almost three days.

Towards the end of April, Zack had gotten overly agitated and butchered a group of cheerful young adults returning drunkenly from a bar. One of the men in the group had been stupid enough to mock Isaac's bandaged appearance; not knowing that he was insulting an infamous serial killer. Rachel didn't even have a chance to try to talk him out it. Took several weeks of laying low to get the cops off their tails.

Now once again they were forced to hide and were held up in an old abandoned farmhouse about three miles from the nearest sign of civilization. Zack had kept his promise to teach Ray a little self defense, and even managed to cut down a thug getting her a relatively small handgun as well as a knife to call her own.

Ray had lost the knife he had gifted to her originally as they came to the end of their journey through the murder tower. She had known how precious it was to him. She really treasured it, and was very upset when she lost it. It had been a piece of her best friend that she was able to carry with her. The new knife wasn't exactly a replacement but it made her happy nonetheless.

Back in town just last week, Rachel had wandered a little far from Zack. A real scumbag thought she would be an easy target for his pedofiliac tendencies…

The man had tried to grab Rachel, his intentions obvious due to the way he was eyeing her up and down with no shame. He had not expected a small girl like her to fight back, striking at sensitive areas of the man's body stunning him, just as Zack had taught her. A cheap shot to the groin, a chop to the throat, take advantage of the attackers surprise to get behind them if she could. Quickly whipping out her blade while yanking the man's head back by his hair while he was on his knees finishing with quick slice across the delicate arteries in the neck.

Ray didn't particularly want to kill anyone, however she was not going to let someone try to touch her like that. No way. Unfortunately a female passerby screamed seeing the small blonde standing over the pervert his blood draining from his neck. At this point Zack came from what felt like nowhere; Ray was just standing didn't even notice the woman's head roll by her feet.

Zack then had to scoop her up and haul her ass out of there; Ray was paralyzed amazed that she had just managed to save herself all on her own. He cursed at her at first for being dumb and just standing there staring, then burst out laughing. The realization of what she had done sunk in, he couldn't help but praise the little blonde ruffling her hair in amusement.

The previous day, the pair headed to a gas station to restock on food and drink. Rachel also purchased a newspaper, the photo of her attacker had caught her eye. "Renowned Surgeon, Erick Shaw Slaughtered" was on the front page. Lucky for for them Zack had beheaded the only witness. Dead people can't talk after all. The 2nd thing she noticed with a frown on her face was the date. Yesterday had been June 8th; which means today was June 9th. That made tomorrow June 10th...a day that she mechanically came to dread. For years it had always only ever been the absolute worst day of the year.

 _Pain, all she could feel was pain._

 _She was too weak to stop it from coming….helpless, she couldn't fight back because it was her fault anyway._

 _She was the reason her dad was a bad father. It was her fault mom was a bad mother. They told her so everyday. She deserved the slaps that stung her face. The kicks that at times caused her to vomit._

 _It wasn't always like this...when she was really little they were a happy, normal family. She only vaguely remembers that though. It changed probably when she was 4...maybe 3; she didn't even know._

 _Things just suddenly changed...dad started drinking. Scared...she remembered being scared her parents were fighting….dad was drunk. She watched him strike her mother...it escalated and she herself became a target for beatings from both parents._

 _Her heart squeezed in her chest, for many nights she slept curled up under her bed. She cried every night not understanding what had changed. What had gone so terribly wrong?_

 _One day the tears stopped...the beatings and the screaming became 'normal'. She was used to it now. Physically it hurt, but emotionally...she felt nothing. She cared about nothing. Her only escape was her books._

 _But once a year...the screaming and the beatings would be the worst. June 10th was just a reminder to her parents of the little abomination they created. Her 'presents" resulted usually in a bloody nose...multiple bruises, sometimes it was so bad she'd have to go to the hospital because one or more bones was broken._

 _People suspected...they knew something wasn't right. They did nothing to help her though. Her dad was a cop, there was nothing they could do even if they tried._

" _I hate you Rachel."_

" _It's all your fault Rachel"_

" _I wish you had never been born!"_

" _Why don't you just die?"_

 _The sad truth was...the only time she had a clear memory of even the illusion of a perfect family...was when they were dead...sewn together._

 _Pain...more pain. One year was particularly bad, most of it a blur...at first it was just the usual...insults, kicks and slaps. Dad was extra drunk...he had her pinned punching her over and over. When she tried to run away he kicked her down the stairs...it was a miracle she hadn't died...he just came at her again and again...that was the only time her mother came to her rescue._

" _STOP! You don't want the neighbors to hear! If she dies then people will ask questions! We'll be found out!"_

 _Oh….of course that was the reason. It wasn't because she wanted to be a good mother and save her daughter. It was just to protect their own hides._

 _She must've blacked out since she woke up in the hospital. The nurses and doctor had tried to get the truth out of her. She didn't tell them anything…she wouldn't...it would only be worse for her….plus she didn't hate her parents...she still clung onto when they were a happy family…_

 _Maybe one day they would be a happy family again...maybe…_

 _But right now..._

 _She was numb...so numb..._

" _Ray? Raaay? RAY!" A familiar voice called to her. It was a rough male voice...but one that brought her peace and made her feel safe...Zack._

"Ray? Raaay? RAY!" Zack shook the little blonde. Her whimpers and cries had woken him up. Ray slept on a mattress that was on the floor pushed up against a sofa where he slept.

Rachel opened her eyes and looked up at his concerned face. Her sapphire orbs were wet with tears. Hollow like she was haunted and filled with pain. It wasn't a face he liked on her. It didn't suit her at all. She sat up hugged her knees to her chest, cradling her small frame.

"Are ya okay?" he asked though the answer was obvious.

"I...no….I guess not…"

"You guess?"

"Okay...no. I'm not okay Zack." she was rocking back and forth in an attempt to soothe herself.

"Okay...so whats up?" Zack slid down onto the mattress with her.

"Today...is June 10th..." she stared blankly ahead.

Zack was confused. What the hell did June 10th have to do with anything?

"I don't get it."

Ray took a deep breath.

"June 10th is my birthday."

Birthday? Zack didn't know much about birthdays aside from the obvious. Hell he only had a guess when on when his own birthday was. He knew sometimes he'd see families having get togethers at the park singing happy birthday like a celebration. Normal kids were happy on their birthdays right? Not that Rachel was normal.

"Kay...so why would that make you so upset?"

More tears ran down her cheeks.

"Birthdays...are suppose to be happy. Kids at my school would always talk about how great their birthdays were. They'd get gifts and have cake."

"Yeah...I don't know much about that but I've seen it. But what do they have to do with you?" Isaac's eyes were soft and concerned.

"What do they have to do with me? Nothing really...just my birthdays weren't like that. I-I was abused. Everyday I was abused and insulted...my parents hated me. They would have prefered I had never been born…" Her voice was strained...her throat tight. Seemed now that she had been opening up to more emotions, she was feeling the pain from her past that she had fought so hard to block out.

Zack understood how it felt to be unwanted. To be hated...to be looked down on, to be treated like trash...how it felt for no one to care... "C'mere."

He motioned for her to get in his lap, so he could wrap his arms around her. Her safety blanket. Leaning against him gave her the courage to continue.

"My birthdays were always the worst day of the year. My dad almost killed me one year...he just kept hurting me. He kicked me down the stairs. Mom stopped him...but only because she was worried about their reputations. Not because she cared about me. I blacked out and woke up in the hospital...so I guess I had a dream about that...and it made me sad…" one of his hands gently pressed her face into his chest stroking her hair. The other snaked around her small waist.

"Ya don't need to remember that stuff anymore. They aren't around to say or do anything to ya. No one is around to hurt you like that anymore." Isaac rested his chin on her head. She nodded a little between sobs.

It must've been hard for her to reveal that part of her past to him. He understood having his own past which he didn't particularly want to share...not that there was anyone who would ask. Well...except her, only she had ever bothered to show interest in knowing about his past. All he had ever shared was the source of his burns.

Ray grasped onto his sweater, still sobbing. Zack allow them to remain in their position until she managed to gather herself.

Rachel leaned back so she could look at him. "Th-thank you...Zack."

He looked away ruffling her hair. She knew that was just him saying "no problem".

The serial killer sighed, wheels turning his head. Glancing out the window he could tell it was early morning.

"Alright let's go." He stood reaching out to help the petite blonde to her feet.

She cocked her head at her companion quirking her brow.

"Where? I thought we were going to stay here a while?"

She felt bad watching him hesitantly put on a newer hoodie. It was lighter than the others, but he still ended up sweating profusely in this summer heat.

Ray felt it might be best to stay put until summer was over. The farmhouse had no utilities obviously...but there was a deep stream nearby and it was heavily wooded, so not much sun got through.

"We ain't leavin'. Just gonna go to the store real quick."

"But we just went…"

"So? There's something we didn't get that I want."

Zack had wanted Ray wait outside, which surprised her. Zack typically avoided interacting with anyone aside from herself. They didn't separate often out of worry of the man in the grey coat coming at them. However during the day and at a busy location they should be safe. At least they were fairly certain that he did not have a tracker on Rachel.

Her companion walked out qo minutes later scowling with a brown paper bag. Rachel approached him concerned. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine...damn cashier just wouldn't stop talkin' or smiling…"

Ray chuckled a little, "Well...that is part of their job…you find what you wanted?"

Zack nodded; poor guy looked miserable. Despite being early morning it was still pretty toasty out. Ray had a tank and shorts on with her hair thrown up into a high ponytail, and she was feeling the heat.

"Let's hurry up and get back."

Ray agreed. He really needed to cool off. She doubted that even Isaac Foster would be immune to heat stroke.

Zack was sweating so much his bandages were wearing out and looked as this they might come off by the time they returned to their temporary home. "Fuuuck. I'm sweatin' balls!" he whined shrugging his sweater off. His hair was almost completely drenched.

Ray could see some of his discolored skin between his wrappings that were bunching up from the moisture. "You'd probably feel better without the bandages...it really wouldn't bother me Zack."

The serial killer stiffened before plopping down onto the couch. He was still holding the brown bag.

"Eh.. naw I'll be alright."

Rachel shrugged. It was worth a try. Zack motioned for her to sit next to him. Once she had sat down he dropped the bag into her lap. Ray blinked and cocked her head at him. He looked away...she thought she could see him blushing through the gaps of his bandages. It was probably just the heat getting to him though.

Shifting her attention back to the bag in her lap she reached in and pulled out a small chocolate cake with 2 plastic forks. "Zack?"

The 21 year old ruffled her hair, and gave her an awkward smile… "I think this is where normal peeps would say happy birthday...so...happy birthday, Ray."

Rachels throat tightened, all of her blood seemed to rush to her cheeks. "T-thank you...this really means a lot...I mean it."

Zack looked off to the side and scratched at the back of his head.

"It's nothin' really."

Ray set the cake to the side and threw her arms around his neck.

"H-hey! Don't get all emotional about it!"

Ray nuzzled his neck and thanked him again. She didn't even seem to care that he was a disgusting sweaty mess. As if he wasn't already hot enough.. now he was certain his skin would start melting off from all the heat in his chest. There she goes being all cute again.

 _Damn brat_

He thought to himself stroking her couldn't help but notice something though; when she pulled away and went to put the cake between the two of them to share.

 _Not sure I can really call her a brat anymore though…_

As if he'd just noticed...because honestly he hadn't thought about it til now. Ray was changing; she was growing up her shape was morphing from a brat to a woman. It was very subtle but definitely there.

Ray poked him, trying to hand him a fork. "Zack? Is something wrong?"

 _Shit._

He'd been gawking at her like an idiot. "Yeah...sorry." He rubbed his forehead to try to clear his head.

The awkwardness faded quickly as they dug into the cake. Each commenting on how delicious it was. They both had a real sweet tooth.

"Hey Zack?" Ray asked.

"Mmm?" His mouth was full.

Ray swallowed the bite she had just taken. "I remember your profile back on Eddie's floor said your birthdate was unknown...but do you know what your birthday is?"

"Uhhh...I'm not entirely sure...I think July 24th. Feel like I remember the woman who gave birth to me saying that. I don't really remember."

"Oh. Well...guess we can just say its on that day then." Ray smiled. Today was really good. For the first time in who knows how long, she got to be happy have cake on her birthday just like anyone else. She even felt like she had been a gift...and that gift was the man sitting beside her sharing her cake.


	5. Chapter 5

***July***

The summer heat progressively worsened throughout the month. Still occupying the farmhouse the two only left when necessary.

They simply couldn't afford to stay in a motel at the moment. All their funds were for food and other necessary items. Though even if they had wanted to there wasn't any hotels nearby. It was a less populated area not many people around out here, so Rachel could only gather so much money and Zack couldn't stand to be out in the heat for too long. .. had was a little strip mall area with a supermarket, gas station and a couple of restaurants. All of which were about three miles away.

Ray was insistent they tough it out until it cooled off. Zack really didn't do well with the heat due to his refusal to wear anything but a hoodie and jeans plus his wrappings. He was at least comfortable enough to relax in only his pants with the bottoms rolled up while they were in their makeshift home. Rachel had studied their route to their destination. Unfortunately it appeared they would traveling along the highway for quite sometime before they reached civilization. She couldn't have Zack getting a heat stroke in the middle of nowhere.

"Fuuuck...I'm so bored I'm gonna go fuckin' insane...but soo damn hot!" Rachel's companion groaned sprawled on the couch with one leg hanging off.

Ray hummed in response she was seated on the mattress back up against the couch with her nose in a book she had managed to steal. Unlike Zack, she was able to make the most of the situation. Not to mention there was only so many different responses she could come up with in answer to the same complaint she heard multiple times throughout the day...every...day. If she did respond then he would be annoyed and complain about her sounded like a boring dumbass doll again.

Really though there wasn't a win in this situation, as now her response of seeming indifferent to his plight annoyed Isaac. Ray was the smart one; wasn't it _her_ job to figure this shit out? Only suggestion she had come up with was to teach him to read and write. He didn't have the patience, nor did he see the need when he had her around to do that for him. He didn't see what was so appealing about it. Though she really seemed to enjoy it, Ray had a habit of spacing out as it was. Whenever she read sometimes it was like the only thing that existed was Ray and whatever story she happened to be reading. Zack would never be entertained by such a thing.

"Man this sucks!"

If he just laid there any longer he was going to snap. Peering down at her he decided he would make his own fun. There was one hobby he had discovered in the months they traveled together. Getting a reaction out of Ray. She was less a doll than she used to be; as such reactions weren't quite as hard to extract from her. He lived for those reactions and thoroughly enjoyed it when he was successful in his endeavors.

 _Hehehe._

Rachel was in her own world, this book was getting good. Sadly she was also over halfway finished with it and would need to try to acquire a new one soon. She really did feel bad for Zack, he must be hot. Even while being inactive and wearing a teal tank top and jean shorts and hair pulled up, she was a little warm. Something tickled at her bare shoulder, Ray glanced at her skin to ensure it wasn't a bug. It was an old abandoned house after all there was bound to be an abundance of creepy crawlies hiding around in a place such as this. After satisfying the itch she resumed her book. A few moments later she felt the same sensation...each time brushing it off, even slapping her neck at one point only for there to be nothing there.

 _Why do I keep feeling like there are bugs crawling on me?_

The little blonde tossed her book to the side swiftly stood up, examining the area around her. She really hoped the sheets she had stolen from one of the motels hadn't become infested.

 _There's nothing there…_

Rachel glanced down at Zack wondering if he was having the same problem. Come to think of it...it was rather strange for him to not react to her sudden movement or to at least question what her deal was. Yet there he was laying in the same position as before one arm draped over his waist and the other covering half his face with with the back of his hand. She couldn't help but take a moment to stare since his eyes were covered. Didn't matter how many times she saw it, his incredibly muscular build despite being so slim always caught her attention. It was hard to not steal glances when given the opportunity.

 _Did he fall asleep? No he was complaining just a minute ago…_

Ray cocked her head to the side questioning if she was registering correctly.

 _Is he? Laughing?_

Small tremors and muffled sounds erupted from the man's body. Under his hand she was pretty sure he was hiding a smirk. So he was behind this...a fluffy white object on his stomach caught her eye...a small feather she had almost missed it as its color blended with his bandages. This confirmed her suspicion. She sighed; she should have known, though this type of mischief was better than smashing various inanimate objects to bits.

"Zack…" no response though he was seeming to have more difficulty concealing the snickers expelling from his lips.

Well he wouldn't be getting away with interrupting her when she had finally gotten to the most climatic part of her story.

Ray inched closer curiosity driving her actions. She had tried to tickle him before to no avail, but that was with a heavy layer of clothing between her finger tips and his skin. Maybe she would get a different reaction with fewer barriers. She cautiously reached out her hand and began wiggling her small fingers against his side.

Isaac's eyes shot open his body had squirmed so violently in response that he nearly fell off the couch. He had not expected that. Zack had no idea he was ticklish seeing as no one ever touched him like that. Well except that one time when the little brat had tried to tickle him. He had her pinned to the ground during one of their practice sparring matches. She thought she would be clever by trying to tickle him in her futile attempt to free herself. His hoodie must've provided a good enough barrier since her attempt had failed miserably; resulting in him messing her hair up to the point she closely resembled It from _The Addams Family._

.

"I see your ticklish" Ray smiled at his bewildered expression.

Zack quickly gathered his composure; smirking in response knowing he'd been caught, "Ya, surprised me is all."

He shrugged at her, still trying to pretend to be indifferent. Ray quirked her brow in response, unconvinced.

"Oh? Are you sure about that, Zack?" Rachel's face contorted into a creepy doll like grin, except this time it was on purpose. She knew he hated it. Before he knew it her small body had pounced on top of him though he could hardly feel her weight on him. Ray shoved her fingers against his body tickling his at sides mercilessly. It was highly amusing to see a man like Zack squirming from her touches. His laugh was so different during their moments of rough housing and play. It wasn't that high blood crazed crackle that would send shivers up any sane person's spine. Times like right now his laugh was like it came from a different person. Zack just seemed like a really big kid.

"S-shit! S-stop! Ya damn brat!" The man fought back easily trapping her wrist in his powerful grip. Zack chuckled light heartedly at her pitiful attempts to break them from his grasp. He didn't even have to try. She was so small and easily restrainable. The ease of the task reminded him that Ray was right to ask him to teach her to defend herself better. He couldn't stand the thought of someone else with disgusting intentions getting a hold of her.

"Let go!" the little blonde huffed glaring playfully at him. He rather liked it when she was playful like this.

 _Cute…_

That word seemed to frequently come to his mind with her. It was weird at first, though over time he simply came to accept it. Zack found her cute; though he didn't entirely understand what that meant. He supposed it was just that she was the only person who could make any face or reaction and not have the effect that he got from everyone else. His chest would burn with the desire to kill normally. For her it would burn as well but in a different way. A way that made him of all people...Isaac Foster infamous serial killer, want to protect instead of hurt. Even if she had no idea, and maybe he'd tell her again maybe he wouldn't. Occasionally he might figure out how to voice his feelings but mostly he found it easier to just act.

Zack shifted so he could restrain her wrists with a single hand, he leaned forward his nose almost touching hers. Ray's heart skipped a beat wondering what he was doing.

He was grinning his amber and seemingly dark eyes fixated onto the sparking ocean blues above him.

"No."

The tables had turned, now Rachel was at this killers mercy. She was unable to do more than squirm around on his stomach while he got his payback. Her laugh was almost a squeal and he was enjoying every second.

"Z-zack! Please!" Ray begged, it was too much. Rachel was laughing all the air from her lungs; she was running out of breath "Stop! I c-can't breath!"

The man chuckled at her sigh of relief once he had halted his attack. Zack lightly ruffled her honey colored locks.

"I bet you'll think twice before pulling some shit like that again, huh?"

Isaac released her small arms. The small blonde fell forward onto his chest having been defeated.

"You started it.."she mumbled into his chest.

That he did, and his goal had been met. It'd been a while since she had laughed like that. He was rather pleased with himself. Zack had enjoyed himself so much he hadn't noticed how they were positioned. His face warmed up slightly as he realized she had her legs straddling his hips as she laid on top of his chest. He could tell how silky her legs were against the unbandaged part of his hips.

Mentally slapping himself for noticing such things Zack swiftly pulled her off placing her down onto the mattress.

"Oof! Zack?" He wasn't looking at her. Rachel thought he looked annoyed or angry which confused her when they had been sharing a laugh only moments before. Ray poked his shoulder. "Are you okay? Did I do something?"

"Nah, its nothin'. " he glanced down giving her a reassuring pat.

The air felt much hotter than it had before. Too hot. The heat was just making him irritated was the conclusion he came to. He just needed to cool off. Zack snagged his socks and boots from the floor standing up after pulling them on. Rachel gazed up at him questioningly. Wondering what might have caused the sudden shift in his mood.

"It's fuckin' hot. Just gonna go cool off and wash up/" the serial killer snagged their little bag with shampoos and soaps along with a towel. And of course fresh wrappings.

"Okay." Ray stood up as well, and gathered her book for entertainment.

There was a small stream nearby with water deep enough for them to use to bathe in. It had become routine for one of them to keep watch while the other washed up...backs turned of course and at a respectable distance. Ever since discovering the man in grey had been tracking them they had to be cautious. Luckily there had been no sign of him during their time here. Though Rachel did wonder what that guys deal was. If he had intended to kill them then he could ambush them in their sleep. Yet it seemed he would not risk coming face to face with her murderous friend. Well if she saw him again she would be sure to be prepared. She wouldn't run; she would do her part and try to get some answers. She would kill him without hesitation or mercy if it came down to it.

No one would ever separate her and Zack again. She would not allow that to happen, and neither would Zack.

The water was freezing upon first jumping in., but it helped significantly to beat the harsh heat. The initial shock to his body cleared his mind instantly. It was a nice little spot they had found. A small waterfall emptied into the deeper end that they would use to bathe in. Trees and foliage provided fair cover from prying eyes. There were a couple of large rocks protruding from the water.

Zack and Rachel came here rather frequently to dip their feet into the water and enjoy the soothing sound from the gentle waterfall.

It was still a bit awkward having her there while he bathed or when it was the other way around and he was the one keeping an eye out.

He was glad he could trust her to not sneak a look and get a full view of the monster she was traveling with.

She was right that he would be more comfortable in the heat if he removed his second skin. Sadly insecurity told him that she would look at him with the same looks of shock and disgust that others had. The thought alone of her seeing him that way made something inside his chest clench up.

Though on the other hand sometimes he thought maybe she wouldn't...she hadn't when she saw his stomach or arms a couple of times. She hadn't hardly reacted at all, except to ask how he got his scars out of pure innocent curiosity. Ray had been so happy just to learn about that piece of his life. Just because she had wanted to know more about him. Something that had genuinely surprised the man. So maybe...just maybe she wouldn't care if she did see.

Zack pondered the thought. How nice it would be to be able to show his real self without judgement. Nah, he doubted he would ever be ready to willingly show her what he really looked like. How disfigured and disgusting he really was. With a heavy sigh the black haired man fully submerged himself to rinse off any remaining soap.

Isaac climbed out onto one of the rocks that jutted out from the shore. Feeling a little disheartened from the insecurity that was plaguing his mind, he wrapped himself as if that would fix his self negativity.

Clothed he made his way to his small companion tapping her shoulder to let her know he was ready to head back. The sun was starting to set and he was getting hungry and a little tired.

A few more boring days had passed. Luckily it had rained the past two days cooling the air to a more bearable temperature. Isaac slowly opened his eyes. It was still fairly early. Yawning he glanced down at the mattress below to find it empty except for a bottle of his favorite soda and a packaged cinnamon roll. Rachel must have stepped out for a bit. He smiled, that girl knew him all too well.

Most of their food was packaged or canned. Ray had made a little makeshift stove in the fireplace. Admittedly one thing that had been nice staying in a place with no appliances was lack of storage for perishable items such as produce. Which meant no Ray trying to force feed him any of that unearthly green shit. What a relief that was.

' _You can't live off junk food Zack… you need the vitamins from vegetables!'_

He mocked her voice in his head snickering to himself; happily wolfing down his breakfast. Several minutes passed. Where was the brat? Zack walked out onto the porch sipping his soda. Still no sign of her.

"Ray?!" he called but received no answer. Alright now he was starting to worry.

 _Where the hell is she?_

Heading back inside the killer grabbed his favorite weapon… ..just incase. He strolled cautiously around the farmhouse. Nothing...so he headed to their little bathing spot. She wasn't there either.

Checking inside once more he noticed her backpack wasn't there. Which gave him a little relief as it meant she had left of her own accord. Still it wasn't like her to just leave without giving him some kind of heads up. Though she had left him some breakfast, maybe that was her way of letting him know. Even so it was reckless for her to go anywhere on her own that asshole could be out there watching. He was getting impatient but chose to wait a little longer before tearing everything in his path apart to locate her.

Subconsciously Zack paced back and forth, he was about to rush out the door, when the front door gently opened and in walked Ray.

"Ah!" Ray was startled by her companions sudden roughness and a loud clunk on the ground.

Isaac had dropped his heavy weapon and rushed towards her grasping her wrist a bit harder than he had mean to.

"The fuck?! Thought we talked about this? No wandering off on your own! Ya have any idea how worried ya made me?!" He glared furiously at the little blonde before him.

"Zack! Not so rough I don't want to drop it!" Ray winced from the pressure on her arm.

"Hah?" curious as to what 'it' was Zack just noticed the brown bag in her free hand.

Freeing the wrist he had been suffocating and wondering what could've been so urgent she left without warning his bandaged her yanked the bag from her hand.

"Zack! Wait not yet!" Ray attempted to retrieve the bag.

Zack stared down at her still irritated while lifting it well past her reach.

"You went all that way on your own? What the hell Ray. What was so important, that you couldn' wake me up first?" he couldn't help the small smile crept through his annoyed expression; her pitiful attempts to try to reach for the bag were amusing.

Ray blushed in response and lowered her head mumbling quietly. He couldn't hear her.

"Hah? Ya gonna have ta speak up pipsqueak." her sudden shyness was kind of cute.

"You said July 24th...right?" she muttered.

"Huh? What about it?" Then it clicked. Zack felt a twinge of guilt. Another emotion he hadn't had much experience prior to being with her.

 _Ohhh...fuck now I feel bad reactin' like that._

"Your birthday...I thought maybe it would be nice to celebrate it with you since you made mine better. So I got you a few things...I'm really sorry I worried you. But, I wanted to surprise you." she raised her head to look at him.

She was smiling a little, the expression in her eyes was unfamiliar to him. It wasn't an expression he'd ever received before. Too much to think about so he just shoved his curiosity away. Any traces of prior irritation was melting away. He had never celebrated his birthday and he definitely hadn't expected her to actually do anything for him.

"Y-you?" he shook his head trying to process everything, "Ya didn't have to do that…"

The hand holding the bag lowered, he couldn't look at her, a mixture of guilt from scolding her and embarrassment overtook him. She was too good to him.

"Yes I did. My birthday's were always full of misery, you changed that. Hopefully I can make yours good too!"

Rachel took advantage of his confusion to take the bag and grasped his wrist guiding him to the old worn down table by the non functioning kitchen. She motioned him to sit than rummaged through the brown bag.

His favorite chips, sodas and lastly a small cake like the last one he had gotten for her last month. Zack's eyes widened at the last item. The warmth in his chest was almost too much right now.

He was glad she couldn't see his face right now. His face was burning from more than just the July heat. No one had ever thought to do something like this for him. Well technically he never really had anyone around to think about it. He'd been completely alone much of his life. Just surviving and killing it was all he had. He had never even imagined he would one day have more.

"Sorry, it's not much...I would have liked to make you something good for dinner too...but-. Ah! Zack!" he had yank her into a hug on his lap.

Just her thinking to do this blew him away. He didn't know how to express how touched he was with words...or rather he didn't want or know how to. So he just hugged her tightly holding the embrace longer than he normally would have.

"Thanks…"

Ray was blushing "Happy birthday Zack…"

"S-shut up…" Isaac ruffled her hair. Something on her wrist caught his eye, when she tried desperately to fix the mess he had made.

Pulling her back Zack gently grasped her hand to examine her wrist. It was slightly bruised from his outburst earlier.

Sensing his guilt, Rachel withdrew her arm and gave him a reassuring smile.

"It's okay, Zack...I know you didn't mean to...you were just worried."

Zack's eyes dimmed staring at her bruise. She had just been out so she could give him this surprise and like an idiot he hurt her even if it had been unintentional. He should know better than to be so rough with her.

"Don't make it okay Ray…" he muttered apologies to the floor.

Shit he had been an asshole.

She didn't care, today was for him and she wouldn't let anything ruin it not even himself. Rachel gave him another hug before sliding off his lap. Adamantly reassuring him everything was okay and apologizing again for worrying him.

As she suspected the tension dissolved swiftly soon as the cake was being devoured. How did that saying go again? The one about how chocolate was the emotional cure all?

Zack and Rachel spent a good portion of the day by the stream. Just talking about whatever came to mind. Both felt relaxed by the water. The air was slightly colder and they could dip their feet into the water to cool off.

"Why ya doin' this stuff for me?" Zack looked into her cerulean colored eyes.

The pair sat on a large rock, their shoes neatly beside them and bare feet submerged into the cool running water.

"I told you…" she looked confused, thinking her reasoning had been pretty clear.

"I don't mean just today...Christmas ya got me some things. Then back then when ya went out of your way to get me that lighter hoodie...I know you almost got caught stealing that one. Now this…"

He smiled at her to make sure she understood he was just asking, he really did appreciate it. Though it was kind of weird for him but not in a bad way. It still was weird to him sometimes, having someone else care for his happiness and general well being.

He was taken aback a moment. Something mischievous had flashed through those blue eyes. Ray cocked her head at him with a disturbing smile..

"Because you are my god, Zack…"

Zacks eyes widened with 'Ohhh fuck not this shit again'. Ray's serious composure cracked at his expression. Her laughter earning her a playful glare.

"BRAT!" Zack bonked her lightly on the head. He couldn't lie though, he enjoyed her moments of playfulness. Ray giggled, while Isaac had decided he'd show her. Without warning the man lifted her up bridal style, grinning ear to ear.

" Zack? What are you d-AHH! ZACK!" he tossed her into the water.

Thanks to the rain the water would be colder than usual. Isaac crackled while she stood wide eyed,shivering waist deep in the water clutching at her sides looking like a drowned bunny.

Blinking a few times in order to ground herself back to reality Ray glared at him. She would not hesitate to play dirty right back, ducking down til only her eyes could be seen. Surprising him by bolting up squirting the water from her mouth into his face. Back and forth splashing persisted until Zack was just as soaked as she was. Well that one definitely ended in a draw.

Now in fresh clothes and wrappings Zack sat back against the couch eyeing Ray warily. Her hair was was wrapped in a towel seeing as it would take a lot longer to dry than his would. She was getting a fire going in the fireplace so she could heat up some canned chili in the heavy pot she had been using to cook simple dishes.

He felt a little pride realizing that while the anxiety of fire hadn't disappeared it had significantly lessened. He at least was no longer concerned about the little camp fires she would make that assisted in keeping them fed as well as warm during the colder months.

After their meal the two huddled on the couch in silence just enjoying the others company. Pondering the events of the day, Zack realized she hadn't given him an answer.

"Ray...ya never really answered my question earlier…"

Ray smiled.

"I just figure we both have bad pasts and didn't get to enjoy the things most people do… so maybe we can try to change that now…"

Zack ran his fingers through her hair. "I guess…"

"So was today good for you Zack?" she looked up at him hopeful.

"Only birthday I ever celebrated...don't have much to compare to...but yeah...it was good. Thanks Ray."

She would never know just how much it had meant to him. How much _she_ meant to him. He didn't know how to express that. He'd always been alone...never had another life to care for.. never had someone he trusted with his life. Never had someone he never wanted to leave and someone to feel the same towards him.

Now having experienced it. He had to admit to himself, it was nice. Really really nice. He also knew he would never have this with anyone else. He wouldn't even want to. No one else would be able to understand all the shit they went through.

Neither would have guessed they would be where they are now. Zack would have scoffed at anyone who would say one day he would have someone to care for. Ray was just his means of escape back then, and he was her means of escape from herself.

How things have changed... in ways they wouldn't have expected though now after everything, neither of them would change a thing or have it anyother way.

***October***

The temperature had finally begun to drop; which meant it was time to move on. Both were very eager to find a place they could get a proper warm shower and enjoy a few amenities that they had been deprived of. At the same time the farmhouse would be missed. Despite the miserable heat that had kept them camped out there for several weeks they now had some fond memories of that place. They had grown much closer during that period of time. Each had a greater appreciation for the other than they had before. They talked more than they used to while on the move.

Having earned some extra cash (well begged for and stolen) Rachel and Zack splurged a bit on a room that was maybe a slight step above what they would usually settle for plus some takeout. A nice plush bed was a most welcome sight, though to Isaac's dismay his companion flipped on the news. He knew it was important to get updates on their current situation but it aggravated the hell out of him nonetheless. Grumbling in annoyance the man ate out on the patio; then elected to shower rather than risk losing his temper upon hearing more about how he was being painted as some kind of child molester. As if he'd ever stoop so low.

Nothing particular attention grabbing was being announced...just the usual weather, and the latest celebrity gossip. Rachel had never even heard of the girl nor did she care. She was about to flip the channel for a movie when her picture from 2 years ago displayed on the screen.

" _It's been a year since Rachel Gardner was kidnapped by mass serial killer Isaac Foster."_

She hadn't realized how much she had begun to change just in two years. Her hair was about the same maybe slightly shorter. After watching Zack cut own hair with his knife she had attempted the same with fairly decent results. Her face was a bit thinner, she was slightly taller not to mention the other changes on her body. Her once stick shaped body was beginning to fill out into a more curvaceous form. She doubted she would ever have any exaggerated features, yet she was beginning to look less like a kid and more like a woman.

Zack had a photo too though it was almost too blurry to make out...Ray couldn't help but smile. _I guess he never did learn to stay still for pictures._ She recalled his fidgeting frame back on Cathy's floor when she was trying to take his mug shot.

" _To this day the whereabouts of the serial killer and the missing girl are unknown. However given the circumstances, Rachel Gardner has been presumed deceased."_

The rest was another interview with the same police officer she had seen on the news before. Not much they didn't already assume. They hadn't been able to connect any murders to Zack. They believed Zack to be inactive for a year. Which usually meant that the killer had been stopped by another force. This led them to believe Zack could possibly deceased; though his case would stay open for the time being.

Obviously nothing was tracked back to him since they had been half way across the country. He wasn't as famous in the areas they had been through. It was true though that Zack's killings were not particularly frequent anymore. For the most part with the help of Rachel he managed to not go crazy on people who would be noticed if they were to turn up in pieces.

His way of thinking had changed since being with her. He wasn't as reckless and better at planning. Or rather _she_ was there to plan for him and steer them away from trouble. Sure he was still a killer. He hated people with smiles(except Ray); but since being with Rachel he had calmed down significantly. His desire to kill had become more tame. The anger that once raged through him nonstop had settled somewhat. He was far more concerned with her safety than satisfying his bloodlust.

Ray never asked him what drove him to start killing. Not that she hadn't been curious. She only knew from reading his profile on Eddie's floor that it supposedly began at an illegal orphanage.

He always seemed dodgy about his past. Then again so was she. Perhaps that's why she didn't ask because she understood that some things were just too hard to relive. It hadn't been easy to talk about her parents. Had she not had that nightmare she wouldn't have even brought it up. Perhaps he would tell her someday. She felt it was not a subject to be pushed.

Rachel changed the channel upon hearing the water in the shower turn off.

"Ray? You turn that shit off?" Zack called from the bathroom.

Zack really hated the news. Well rather he hated the way they twisted him and who he was. When it was just about his latest victim he would become amused listening to their elaborate reasoning behind his crime. Everytime they couldn't be more wrong about his motives. It was hilarious. He didn't mind hearing about that, but accusing him of hurting Ray in that way made him sick. He was a monster but he wasn't _that_ kind of monster. To him those kinds of monsters were much much worse than he was. He had come across it many times in the back alleys. Those assholes always turned out to be so much fun to kill. Acting all powerful with a disgusting grin on their face, until he would show up. How quick they would change from their power high to squealing terrified pigs.

Zack might've let their victims go, if it wasn't for their terrified reactions. _Monster. Disgusting._ Once there was one who even almost looked grateful til she saw what he was, changed real quick. A look of pure disgust that he decided needed to be destroyed.

"I changed the channel, Zack." he waited for her response before emerging wearing his usual sleep attire. His wrappings and pajama pants.

"So was there anything interesting?" he asked.

"They think you killed me already and that you might be dead too but your case is staying open." she spared any details that she knew would irritate the man.

Zack grinned plopping back onto the comfy bed resting his hands behind his nape. Damn he had missed laying a bed."Well that's good. Ya can go wherever you want then."

"I guess. It will make it easier to get about. You should be able to walk around a bit more freely too. Though you will still have to be careful."

She smiled back. A genuine smile. The kind that gave him some weird feeling in his chest that he couldn't seem to identify.

"Y-yeah."

Rachel scooted back from the edge of the bed so she was laying on her back next to him. Mindlessly searching for something interesting to watch. She was still pondering what made him want to kill. She figured maybe it wouldn't hurt to just ask half of her question, then let the rest come when ever he would be okay talking about it.

"Hey, Zack?"

Her blue eyes met his gold eye which looked at her from the side.

"What's up?" he noticed her twiddling her thumbs meaning she had something on her mind.

"Well...I..I was just wondering...your profile. When I read about you living at that orphanage it stated that you had supposedly killed the proprietors? Was that true?" She felt a little bad noticing even that simple question struck a nerve from the way his face twisted.

He looked away grumbling and agitatedly scratching the back of his head. " do ya want to know about that?"

She was probably using this as an opening to more questions about his past. He knew she kind of deserved some answers since she had told him more of her fucked up past. But he wasn't ready to share that just yet. He had never told anyone...he really had no idea how that Cathy bitch seemed to know so much. Just recalling those memories made him pissed. Really fucking pissed. If he thought too much about it (which he would have to in order to share his story with Ray) there was a high possibility of him going into a killing frenzy. Not that he would mind all the killing...but it wasn't in their best interest right now.

"I was just curious. It's okay if you don't want answer." Ray laid back on her pillow closing her eyes. He was grateful she was not one to pry.

"Yeah...I killed them. Sliced em' up good while they were sleeping in their bed. Fuckers had it coming."

Ray remained on her back with her eyes closed.

"I see. Thank you for being willing to tell me."

Ray rolled to her side to snuggle up against Zack who subconsciously brought an arm around her pulling her closer. She could see a slightly haunted look in his eyes memories of that place must really bother him.

"That all you want to ask?" He really hoped she didn't want to pry any further. Just remembering those two assholes was enough to bring in a whirlwind of memories he didn't want to linger on.

"For now...yeah."

"For now?"

"Well...someday I would like to know more. But only if you decide you want to tell me. I understand having things in your past that are too hard to talk about."

He knew she did. That little fact was one of the things that had brought them closer together. His emotions and level of care for her had increased significantly once he had found out she was fucked up just like him. Probably wasn't the result peepers creepers was going for. He'd probably thought Zack would be furious at Ray for lying to him. Though in a way she didn't really...she just hadn't told him the whole truth. Admittedly he was kind of mad at first. It didn't matter though by that point he already cared too much.

Her next words, made his heart flutter.

"Whatever happened. I'm sorry, you didn't deserve any of that." Ray wrapped an arm around his torso, reinforcing her words with a hug.

Maybe that was true. No one deserved what he had been through. If people weren't so ignorant about the darkness in the world they wouldn't smile the way they did. He appreciated her telling him that. Regardless those assholes were right about one thing. He may not be a tool...but he was a monster.

 _No, Zack is not a monster….but he's not a god either...Zack is a human being._

Her words rang through his head along with the memory of holding her bleeding body on the verge of death. Her words were hit him so deep in ways he couldn't explain; but he still couldn't wrap his mind around it. He has always been a monster. He's proved it over and over. He's survived things no _human_ could survive. He kills without care or remorse. His burnt appearance further solidified what to him had become fact. How Ray was able to see him as human was beyond him.

Zack reached next to Ray for the television remote shutting off the off the last remaining source of light in the room. The only sound was Rachel's light steady breathing.

The black haired man sighed closing his eyes trying to let sleep take him. He knew it wasn't gonna be a good night's sleep. He understood she had only been curious, so he didn't blame her, for the old memories that he hoped wouldn't flood into his dreams.


	6. Chapter 6

Zack had trouble falling asleep that night. He allowed himself to slip into the whirlpool of memories which made up his shit past and now he was paying the price. Memoires flooded his consciousness. Memories of the pieces of his past that set him on the path he walked now. The path of a cold blooded murderer.

The proprietors mocking the misfortune of the suffering children that they were _supposed_ to be caring for. Forcing him to bury the rotting corpses. Lying to the children in order to get them to behave. Promising food or warmth in exchange for obedience. _Lying_. Here his hatred of liars was born. The blurred faces of the other children who were too helpless to fight for themselves. The feeling of a constant ache of a hollow stomach; digging desperately through the trash eating whatever he could get his hands on. Gagging as he forced rotting food down his throat.

Then that _thrill_ when he drove a blade into their bodies, wiping them from the earth. He had felt _free_...then there was the old man who took him in. Even knowing what Zack had done, he accepted him as he was. Maybe his life would've turned out differently if that guy hadn't gone and gotten himself killed. He never did learn that guys name. Isaac recalled the couple he came across laughing and joking about how they had killed the man for pennies in his pocket. When he killed them he realized his hatred of smiles. If society wanted him to be a monster, he would show them a monster.

These memories filled him with anger...rage...a thirst for blood. Zack's hands began to tremble in anger. He didn't understand that what he really felt was hurt. To be hurt was to be weak, so instead he was angry. Anger and hatred was easier, killing had become the only way he knew to satisfy the chills that sprang through his spine. He lived for the high of slicing through flesh, the crunch of bone, faces falling to despair, exhilarating screams. He didn't know any other way to deal with the emptiness that filled his soul. Not that he realized he was empty to begin with. After all how could he when these feelings are all he's ever known?

"Zack?" a delicate voice snapped him back to reality. "Zack you're squeezing me too tight…"

Ray was squirming trying to break free. He hadn't realized he had her in a vice like grip, slightly crushing her.

Ray...she had been the first to break through his mental barriers. Filling his emptiness with something more...something warm and foreign. It was uncomfortable because it was unknown...but not unpleasant. Emotions...

"Shit! Sorry Ray."

Isaac loosened his grip allowing her to escape. She shifted her small body upright so she could see his face. His dissonant eyes had a slight haze to him. The haze was slightly similar to that time on Cathy's floor when he has injected a dangerous drug into his body. Though it wasn't as strong this time. He still had his wits about him. That drug had driven him mad and he had almost killed her a 2nd time.

This still worried Ray, she was met with a growl when she tried to reach out to place a delicate hand on his face.

"Back off…" Zack looked away from her, in one quick movement slapping her hand away and moving so he was now sitting on the edge of the bed facing away from her. He still seemed in control at least...but something must've triggered this reaction.

She had inquired about his past. Ray remembered the dollhouse before the drug injection. How bothered Zack was by it, he really seemed affected by it.

It must've had something to do with his past. That orphanage where Isaac Foster an innocent hurt child was obliterated and Isaac Foster the merciless serial killer was born.

"I'm sorry if I made you angry asking you about that stuff…" she didn't really know what else to say.

She just knew somehow her bringing it up caused this reaction. She needed to calm him down before he went off on a killing spree. He might even kill her in the process and she knew he didn't want that just yet. Surprisingly she realized neither did she.

"Tch. S'not yer fault" he replied still seeming very distant. He was still fighting to suppress his cravings that threatened to take over. He disliked not being in control. To his surprise despite his presently aggressive demeanor a pair of fragile arms wrapped around his torso. He had to push away his initial thought on how easy it would be to break those arms.

"Weren't you listening? I said BACK off!" Zack growled at the girl embracing him from behind.

She could feel him tensing up at her touch but she refused to let go. Instead she squeezed him a little tighter. As if the harder she squeezed the more he would be able to sense how much she cared for him.

"Your hurting." she stated simply.

"Monsters don't hurt Ray…" He didn't relax from her touch yet he didn't pull away either.

Ray pressed her head to his back, "That might be true. But your _not_ a monster Zack."

"Tch! How can you even say that…don't you know know me at all?" he didn't get it.

Even if she wasn't exactly clean herself what she had done didn't hold a candle to his years of slaughter. Rachel moved off the bed so she was in front him, gently grasping his chin to make him look at her. It was like staring into the ocean.

"I know your not perfect. I know what you've done and what you still do. I know that like me you had a bad past." she took a breath before continuing; gently brushing the exposed skin around his eyes. This caused a different kind of shiver down his spine, he continued to listen "I know that past has left you with permanent scars that you think you need to hide. I know you are strong, the fact that you are still here after so much only proves it. I also know that because of all these things you've been called a monster so much that you started to believe it and call yourself a monster."

Her eyes had hardly a trace of the once dead eyed girl..there was a sparkle to them. Much like the one she had when she saw him breaking through the window to her rescue. Her words mimicking the sea in her eyes washing his anger and frustration away. She spoke with conviction. She really meant what she was saying.

" But your not. I know sides of you that no one else does and to tell with whatever the world says or thinks. Your NOT a monster. You are and always will be Zack to me. Nothing more and nothing less."

Zacks eyes softened, he felt something stinging the corners of his eyes. What was that sting? Last time he felt that was when he had thought he was going to lose this precious girl standing in front of him. How did she speak with such power? She has always had her moments of knowing the right words to say, but now she's stronger. More sure of herself, she isn't so indifferent when it comes to making decisions and choosing her words.

Zack pulled her into him hugging her tightly as he stroked her hair. "Ya really are a brat…"

She smiled too bad he couldn't see it as it was her most genuine smile yet.

"I know. But you like having me around anyway."

"Tch. Whatever." he rolled his eyes and ruffled her hair. "But yeah...I do."

At least for now maybe he started to believe her...just a little.

"Are you okay now?" she asked in a worried tone. Eyeballing the clock she realized it was 3AM she had fallen asleep around 11PM. Had he been up all that time?

"I'll be fine…" the haze had changed to one of sleepiness. Isaac's eyes started to droop.

"You haven't slept at all have you?" she received a grunt in response.

Though he was calmer he still seemed tense. Ray recalled something she had seen on the television once and wondered if it would work.

"Lay on your stomach." her tone was completely neutral but authoritative.

"Hah?" Zack looked at her blearily confused by her request.

"Just do it." Ray tried to gently nudge him to lay back down.

"Tch. Fine." grumbling the black haired man shifted himself onto his stomach turning his head on his pillow so he could see what the little blonde was doing.

Without a word or warning he watched her climb up to position herself on his back. Had he not been so tired he probably would of knocked her off. He admittedly was also a little curious.

"The fuck ya doin'?"

Her palms around his shoulders caused him to tense up.

"I'm giving you a massage." she continued her actions now kneading his muscles which he was pretty sure were more tense than they had been a moment ago.

"The hell? Why?" he wasn't sure how to respond, he would be lying if he said he wanted her to stop. It didn't feel bad.

"To help you calm down so you can fall asleep. You need to stop tensing up though." she stated matter of factly.

"Tch...whatever...but ...I guess ya can keep doin' that.." Isaac yawned sleepily. Whatever she was doing it was helping.

Slowly with movement the firm muscles in the man's body slackened under her palms. Ray hadn't ever really felt just how strong his body really was. Even under the bandages she had been able to see he was thin but built. Though she was careful not to move them too much occasionally bits of bandages separated allowing her to see bits of scarred flesh mixed with skin.

Now that she thought about it this was the first time she'd really been able to _feel_ him. Only times she'd really touched him was when tending an injury, giving a hug or occasionally when they got closer than usual while cuddling. He was naturally this way...that much she knew. With the exception of chasing poor souls to their deaths and swinging his heavy scythe the man was pretty lazy.

Rachel's delicate fingers worked their way up to the nape of his neck.

"Mhhh" A small satisfied groan escaped Zack's lips, Ray froze a moment startled. His breath was slow and steady. He must've fallen asleep, the poor man had looked exhausted minutes ago. Rachel smiled and slid under the covers next to him; content she had been useful.

The poorly insulated hotel room gave little warmth as it was yet it shouldn't feel this cold. Even during the winter there had always been a source of warmth. That source took the shape of a bandaged man whom Rachel Gardner had bonded so closely with. This morning that warmth was not there. Eyes still closed the young blonde reached out seeking her source of comfort. The sheets next to her were cold and empty.

Ray's eyes shot open. Zack wasn't next to her.

 _Maybe he is in the shower?_

Rachel rolled out of bed to check. The door to the restroom was slightly cracked with the light turned off.

"Zack?" He wasn't in there.

Ray began to panic; it wasn't like him to just leave her alone. Not without some kind of notice. Especially not with that man hunting them.

Recalling the night before...how haunted the man had looked. He must have snapped despite her efforts to sooth him. This was bad. Zack killing with her there to tame him to an extent was one thing. She knew he could be thoughtless and even reckless on his own.

Ray flipped on the news to see if the damage had already reached the authorities. Immediately upon flipping the channel in the headlines

" **5 Young party goers brutally murdered"**

" **Dismembered by a large blade."**

" **Killer has not been found."**

" **Has the back alley murderer resurfaced?"**

The location of the murders hadn't been far from the hotel.

 _I have to find Zack._

Thanks to Ray, he had fallen asleep feeling reassured. It hadn't been enough though; nightmares still ensued.

 _Children crying after being dropped off at the orphanage. They didn't understand what had happened to them or why. Neither did he but he never cried. After what had happened to him, after what he had survived this was nothing. Not that he was immune feelings altogether at the time._

 _Everyone stared at him, the freak with the bandages. He was always the object of ridicule. The monster...the freak. One day his bandages had grown old and fallen off. A girl who had just been brought in the day before caught sight of the charred boy underneath. Initially she was frightened and screamed. MONSTER! Drawn by the commotion the few other children alive at the time arrived on the scene. They all laughed and threw rocks at him. The proprietors didn't lift a finger to stop it. They merely laughed. He_ _ **hated**_ _them...he hated their laughs._

 _ **FREAK! ITS HIDEOUS!**_

 _ **EW WHAT'S WRONG WITH IT'S SKIN?**_

 _ **IT'S NOT EVEN HUMAN!**_

 _ **NOT HUMAN!**_

 _ **MONSTER!**_

An amber eye with a gleam of red shot open. That familiar chill ran down the man's spine. The need to kill. He was still aware enough of the young blonde next to him. Her life would never satisfy his bloodlust. He needed to get rid of this feeling. Ray wouldn't be happy about this but he wasn't in a frame of mind to care for consequences. Zack's palms began to sweat and itch.

 _Fuck. I'm FIENDING to KILL!_

It'd been far too long since he had gone on an all out murder spree.

A sadistic grin lit up the killers face as he stood up; licking his lips in anticipation as he got dressed and grabbed his favorite weapon on the way out the door.

It was late into the afternoon; the sun was beginning to set. Still no sign of Zack. Ray wandered the back alleys her gun close at hand incase of any trouble. It was surprisingly quiet and empty. Thus far the only clue she had found was a couple of dead street thugs. Rather what was left of them. Flesh and blood streaked the brick walls. Rachel undeterred by the sight relieved their corpses of any money or valuables.

She was getting worried and also annoyed. He was being absolutely reckless. She knew he wasn't entirely in his right frame of mind; but this was going to be a problem for them.

The blonde emerged from the alleys and strode down the street; listening for anything that might help her find her companion. She was surprised to not bump into any cops. Most of them seemed to just be driving around the city. A few here and there poking down the entrances of the alleys but never delving into them too deep. It had gotten pretty cold, she supposed most of them probably didn't want to leave the comfort of their vehicles this late. Ray hugged her black coat she had stolen last week around her small frame.

Maybe Zack had gone back to the motel room. She could only hope that was the case. At this point she really didn't know where to look. She felt on edge but not just because of her need to find the black haired man. At several points during her scouting Ray had the distinct feeling she was being watched. She was sure of it and it definitely was not Zack.

Sensing a presence the woman ducked back into the darkness of the alleys taking cover behind a dumpster. Sure enough a black charger pulled up down the alley. A man she recognized emerged. He had been watching her. He knew she was here and since he was able to somehow track Zack he knew she was very much alone. Ray remained hidden peering carefully from behind her hiding spot at the man in the gray coat.

The man extracted a small handgun from his person and began to load it with unusual bullets. She couldn't see much but she assumed it was tranquilizers from the slender shaper and feathered ends. So whatever his plan was he intended to keep one or both of them alive.

She could shoot him; she had a clear shot. No...that would be a bad idea there was still cops patrolling the streets they would hear the shot. Plus the man was still out in the open. She couldn't risk it Ray would have to find a way to out maneuver him. If she could somehow incapacitate him or get close enough to use a knife...she would be able to use his device to find Zack.

It was now or never, she had to take off before she lost any amount of distance she had between herself and this man. There was an old broken down town home in the alley she had passed earlier. If she could lead him there without being taken down, she might be able to find a vantage point.

Bracing herself Rachel Gardner took a deep breath, she had to stay focused. One foot launched from the solid ground propelling herself around the corner.

"HEY!"

His voice and a second pair of footsteps to her own indicated he had seen her. Rachel used her small size to her advantage. Dodging around corners and behind dumpsters; she made sure to run in an unpredictable pattern making herself as difficult a target as possible. She was almost there. A dart whizzed past her ear.

 _Just a little further…THERE!_

Rachel dove through one of the broken windows of the townhouse; entering what was probably once the dining room. Across the room led to the kitchen; the cabinets were still intact. For once her small stature came in handy as she tucked herself away into one of the cabinets. Just in time too from the sound of her pursuers shoes clunking along the creaky wood floor.

 _Ba-boom ba-boom ba-boom_

Ray's heart pounded in her ears. She covered her mouth in attempt to stifle her labored breath. He was getting closer...footsteps stopped just a short distance from her location.

 _CRASH!_

The little blonde jumped in her skin, someone had busted down the front door. Did he have a partner? No that wasn't it.

"Shit!"

There was a slight crack from the cabinet door not closing the darkness Rachel could just barely see the man crouched behind the counter island; tranquiliser pistol at the ready.

Nothing but her pulsing heart pierced the silence. There was a chill in the air; something dangerous was near. This was a perfect opportunity but she needed to wait for the possible new threat to reveal itself before striking.

 ****10 minutes earlier****

A lone hooded man trudged through the dark of the back alleyways. He was drenched in thick crimson liquid. Zack flicked the excess blood from his favored weapon; dirtied from his eighth victim? Or was it the tenth? He'd lost count. The itch to kill had dulled but wasn't entirely satisfied.

Subconsciously he knew what he was doing was stupid. He knew he was putting a target on his and Ray's backs. The little blonde would be furious with him. Isaac was of no mind to care for such things. He hadn't had nightmares or flashes of that godforsaken orphanage since that time back on B3. Zack's body tensed remembering the way that sadomasochist bitch had tried to play him as a tool.

"HEY!"

A male voice shouted nearby. The hooded killer grinned sadistically, at the clatter of running footsteps. More prey. Through slightly hazed eyes Isaac saw a small blonde enter a deserted townhome followed closely by a man in a suit. From his perspective it appeared another pervert chasing after his victim. The red glint of his eyes brightened, these assholes were always satisfying to slice up.

Standing in front of the door to the townhome, Zack flashed a wicked smile reeling his scythe back slicing through the front door like cardboard.

"Shit!"

Isaac stepped through the broken doorway, chunks of wood cracking beneath his black boots. He had observed that the man was armed so he knew to not be overly wreckless in his hunt. Predatory instincts took over. To anyone Zack was seem less human and more like an animal at this point. His thin but built body melded into the shadows. The voice came from the left on the other side of the wall he was currently pressed against.

Ray wished she could see better, but if she cracked the cabinet any further she risked being found out. What happened next was over in mere seconds. The almost inaudible _POP_ of the tranquilizer followed by a grunt. The man in grey kicked to the floor in seconds.

"NO! WA-"

A flash of metal and it was over. Through the crack Rachel could see his head rolling across the floor stopped nearly in front of her. The man's grey eyes had been wide with fear in his final moments. His mouth still seemed to be twitching despite being dislocated from its body. The sight would be sickening to any normal person. The blonde woman had grown fairly accustomed to the violence. Such was the result of traversing across the country with a serial killer.

"Hyahahaha! I know you're in here! Come on out!"

She knew that voice. It was clear he didn't know it was her in here. Ray had to be smart about this or he might accidentally cut her down. Something she knew he didn't want right now and truthfully she didn't really either. Zack's footsteps echoed through the kitchen. Ray reflexively flinched at him kicking the head of his most recent kill. Zack's insane cackling made even her spine shiver. He was so different when he got like this.

Ray waited until he seemed a respective distance away before kicking the cabinet open, she wanted him aware she was there. Sneaking up on the man would surely prove a fatal idea.

"Zack. It's me." she spoke softly but loud enough for hims to hear. No sooner had she stood up and brushed her pants off then she had his blade around her small body. His speed never ceased to surprise her. She was certain he'd been on the other side of the room.

"Zack…" Ray looked up into his mismatched eyes. Recognition flashed behind his hazed stare to her relief. The man carefully withdrew his weapon slinging it over his shoulder. The red glint faded as he looked at the woman before him. He looked guilty. Though she knew his guilt had nothing to do with the people he had slain over the past night.

" _Fuck!_ Ray?" The man breathed out, taking a step back. Remorse reflecting in his bi colored orbs. Clearly upset that he had almost mistaken her for another victim. "Whatcha doin' out here?"

He already knew the answer. He just didn't know what else to say to her. The young woman narrowed her eyes, her arms crossed across her chest. They were going to be in quite a predicament thanks to his lack of self restraint. She had every right to be cross with him.

 _Shit she's mad._

She was. She also knew maybe now was not the time to unleash her irritation upon the man. After all she was partially to blame, with her questions from the night before. She must of dug up some pretty bad memories for the him. Ray sighed letting her arms fall to the side. However her eyes did not lose their intensity.

"I was looking for _you!_ ". She slowly exhaled in attempt to keep her voice calm. Ray rarely raised her voice. She'd had enough of that from her parents. However she was really close to do so right now after the worry he had put her through.

"I have been searching all day. You could've woken me up or given me some kind of warning. I was about to go back to check the room. Then _he-"_ She motioned to the headless body bleeding out on the floor. "Showed up and I had to make a run for it."

Zack stared at the body a moment processing what she meant. "Wait...was that?"

Ray nodded in confirmation. "Yep."

This seemed to cheer him up a bit. Zack grinned "FUCK YEAH! Bout time that bastard showed up! No more worrying about -"

The man stumbled catching himself on the counter. Zack's scythe dropped to the floor making a loud _THUD._ His vision was starting to get a bit blurry.

"Th' hell? Fuck…"

"Zack?!"

Ray rushed to his side hands on his shoulders to help keep him steady. It was then she recalled that the now dead man had gotten a shot off. Rachel gently guided her companion to the next room. There was an old couch covered in plastic which she removed before Zack plopped down.

She examined him and sure enough in his thigh was a dart protruding through his pant leg. Carefully she removed the bullet tossing it to the side. Must've been a pretty strong dose to be acting so quickly. Especially considering she was Zack they were talking about. That man must have done his homework before chasing after the pair of escapees.

"What the hell was that?" Zack had watched her removed the needle from his thigh. Shit he was gettin' real tired all the sudden.

"You got shot with a tranquilizer. Usually takes up to 45 minutes to start working. He must've upped the dose for you to be feeling it this soon." Ray seated herself next to the man. "Ah!"

Zack flopped over his head landing on her lap surprising the young woman. She couldn't help a small smile and began running her fingers through his hair. Some of the blood soaking his clothes was still wet. It seeped through onto her own attire. Luckily she was adorned in darker tones.

"Fuck..this sucks. Ehh...Ray?"

"Hmmm?"

"I'm sorry to just take off like that I know I messed up...but I-" Rachel placed her middle and index finger on his lips cutting the man off.

"I'm the one who should be sorry. I brought up that stuff last night…" She frowned as she resumed stroking his black locks. "It's really my fault…"

Isaac rolled over so he was on his back able to fully see her face. Her blue eyes trailed down to meet his. Now she was the one looking guilty.

"Nah...it ain't yer fault…" there was a long moment of silence before he continued. "They starved us...all the kids at that hell hole."

He must've meant the orphanage. Ray brushed a few strands of hair from Zack's face, "Its okay Zack you don't have to talk about it."

"Nah. I want to." He was slowly losing consciousness but she deserved to know what had gotten him so worked up.

"None of those kids had a mind to take care of themselves. I got by on scraps I found in the trash."

That explained why he hadn't been opposed to dumpster diving for a meal.

"The others either starved or died from somethin' else. And those fuckin' bastards…" Zack clenched a weak fist. "They just laughed...and the made me bury the bodies. Didn't wanna get their hands dirty. Just used me like a…a"

Ray recalled the dollhouse riddle they had to solve. "...like a tool."

She finished the sentence for him. Ray learned way back then how much he despised the word.

"...yeah. Anyway...they never called me by my name...same with the kids. Especially after one of em saw my real skin. I was always monster...or freak...or tool. Those assholes would beat the shit out of me. They'd lie to get us to do what they wanted and laugh about it."

The man sighed forcing his eyes to stay open so he could finish.

"One day one of em left the T.V on. Bastard was always watchin' those horror flicks. Anyway I came in from burying the last kid...and in the movie the guy killed some annoying happy lookin' couple. Then it clicked…"

Isaac grinned. To anyone else it would've looked creepy, Ray on the other hand found it rather endearing.

"So I got a knife from the kitchen and well...ya know the rest…ever since then I've hated liars and developed my passion. But I decided I would at the very least never tell a lie." He took a deep breath before continuing. "Anyway there was an old blind man that found me hidin' out in the car of some bitch I'd killed. He took me in and I stayed there for a little while. The guy knew everything I'd done but didn't seem to react much about it. One day he left and didn't come back. Thought he'd just abandoned me like the woman who gave birth to me. But turned out some couple had offed him for his wallet. Found em' laughing about it. So I killed em'. I wonder if maybe my life would've been different if he hadn't' kicked the bucket. But no sense thinkin' on that I suppose...so who knows."

Something wet landed on his cheek soaking through his covered skin.

"Hah?" Isaac groggily reached up to feel her cheek no longer able to trust his vision due to the effects of the tranquilizer and the darkness. Was she crying? "Tch! Th'fuck? You cryin'?"

"Sorry…" Ray swallowed "I'm sorry you went through all of that."

This is why they were able to understand each other. Both had come from a broken past. In their own way they were both fucked up as the result of the cruelty of others.

"Tch...it's fine…stop cryin'...just thought I owed ya an explanation is all." the man yawned. The last bit if strength slipping from his body.

Ray stared at him for a few minutes. He would be knocked out probably a good while. She couldn't see much but her eyes had adjusted somewhat to the dark. She took the opportunity to trace out his features. Starting with the exposed skin around his eyes working down to outline his strong jawline. Despite all of his flaws he was rather handsome. Ray's cheeks flushed.

Then she remembered the corpse that still occupied the kitchen. Gently lifting Zacks head up she removed her jacket for him to use as a pillow instead of her lap. It was pretty cold but she had long sleeves on underneath.

She wondered where the head was...they would need to dispose of the body. But first...the blonde rifled through his pockets. Ray removed a cellphone and a wallet as well as the device around his wrist. She investigated that first. It was indeed as she thought a tracking device. However as she studied it. She realized the tracker seemed to be on her instead of across the room where her companion rested. Had it been on her the whole time?

Deciding to test her theory she began walking around the townhome. The tracker did not move along with her. It stayed in place in the kitchen. Well that didn't make sense…Ray held her curled index finger to her mouth contemplatively. An idea strung her.

 _Zack's scythe!_

He had dropped it in the kitchen. Even though she had grown a bit over the past 2 years it was still really heavy for her to move. Ray lifted the handle and drug the weapon across the room. Sure enough the tracker followed along with her.

Upon further examination she spotted a small bit of metal slightly protruding at the end of the handle. Something Zack would never notice. Ray reached down to pull her knife from her boot. Using the tip of the blade she managed to pry the chip off. One question answered. Now she knew _how_ they were tracked. But that opened even more questions.

Her theory had been that Gray had been the one to release Zack and given him the scythe. The man tracking them wielded a tranquilizer. Did that mean…? This whole time it this man was trying to take them to Gray? Or could it be some other mysterious person and they had been wrong this whole time. Maybe it never was Gray and he really had perished in that building.

The thought that some unknown force was after them was very unsettling. On the other hand though...If this man had been hired by Gray to find them though...why not just say so? Rachel pulled the phone from her pocket hoping to find the answer inside. To her dismay but not surprisingly it required a passcode. She would need to figure that out later then.

Last thing she checked was the wallet; using the phone for better lighting. She learned from his license the man in gray was named Kurt Fletcher. Not that it mattered anymore. As Zack would put it "he's worm food now". Her eyes widened upon spotting a thick stack of cash. The man had been carrying $842. This amount was sure to last them a good while. It would definitely be needed seeing as they were more than likely going to have to be roughing it for a while. Inside was also a couple of credit cards which they could make a little use of. It would take time for the banks to get suspicious.

Taking a deep breath the petite blonde headed back to the living room. There was a lot to think about but she was exhausted from the eventful day.

Ray managed to squeeze herself between the back of the couch and Zack who had rolled to his side facing out towards the wall. To be exact she was practically on top of the man with one leg hitched over his hip and an arm around his waist. It'd been the only way she could find to fit comfortably.

This was much closer than they would typically sleep. Had he been conscious he would surely be throwing various expletives at her about it. However given the circumstances she didn't have much choice. The floor was too uncomfortable and there wasn't any other furniture in the place. Not to mention it was really cold. Surely he wouldn't mind given the situation.

Either way the man was completely knocked out and unable to protest. After such a day it took no time at all for Ray to join him.

Crime scene tape blocked off several locations in the back alleys. Cops were everywhere the following morning. Rachel had to go on her own in order to retrieve their items from the motel while Zack remained at the townhouse. She was a bit uneasy leaving him there since he was still barely conscious when she left but there was little choice. Their stay was supposed to be up by noon and they couldn't risk anyone digging through their things.

Ray pulled on a an extra layer since Zack still had her jacket for a pillow. It wasn't as warm as her coat but it would do for now. Tugging up the hood and wrapping her face with a scarf the young woman headed back into the alleys.

"Excuse me miss."

Rachel tensed up. A police officer who had been scouring the alleys stopped her. Ray had a hand ready on her knife inside her hoodie pocket.

"Yes officer?" Her expression was completely vacant, as she played the part of just another citizen possibly taking a shortcut to her destination.

"I apologize for inconveniencing you but we are required to ask anyone passing through if they have seen anyone suspicious around back here. We are looking for a man. Tall and covered mostly in bandages." He was probably a nice man. He had kind concerned eyes.

"You mean that murderer everyone has been talking about?" She feigned a worried expression. As the officer nodded. "No, I'm afraid I haven't seen anyone like that."

"Appreciate your time miss. If you see anything please give us a call and be careful. It's not safe back here." He dismissed her with a handshake.

Ray continued around the alley but waited before entering their hideaway to make sure no one had followed. Luckily the cold weather made it easier for her to cover herself up so no one would be able to tell she right away that she was a teenager who _should_ be in school this time of day.

When she returned Zack was hunched over; elbows propped on his knees his head resting on his palms.

"Are you alright?" Startled the man looked over his shoulder relief painting his face once he saw her. Ray dropped their bags on the floor, walked around the sofa and knelt in front of him. Placing a hand on his chin to get a better look at him. His eyes were bloodshot and droopy.

"I feel like shit…but we gotta get moving." Isaac moved to try to stand up, but was stopped by two small hands on either side of his shoulder.

"No Zack." Ray shook her head.

"I'll be fine Ray...worry about yourself." The man fell back into the sofa annoyed by his lack of strength. His lack of resistance proved how weak he still was.

"No. You can hardly move. Plus there are cops can't risk leaving before dark. However we do need to get rid of that body." Rachel joined him on the sofa.

"Ah right...forgot bout him. So didja find anything useful on him?" the man inquired peering at the woman lazily through the corner of his eye his head had fallen onto the back of the couch.

Ray quickly filled him in on her findings as well as her theories and suspicions. She always had to explain things in simple terms for the man so that he would understand what she was saying. Not that he was stupid. He just hadn't received any education during his lifetime. Though he had learnt quite a bit during his time with her. He used his head more than he used to.

"Tch...well then. What should we do?" Isaac pressed back into the couch closing his eyes. Despite her simple explanations it was still a lot to process.

"I think we should stick to the original plan for now and keep heading towards that church. I'm going to try to crack into this phone and perhaps find some answers." Ray held the small device in her palm. She'd turned it off for now knowing the battery wouldn't last forever. "We'll also need to get a charger for it."

"Fine fine." The man looked like he was about to pass out again. She hated to ask him to move but she couldn't hide the corpse in the kitchen on her own.

There was a hollow place beneath the floorboards in one of the bedrooms which they were able to pull up and toss the corpse into. Zack grimaced as he dropped the head which he'd been dangling from its hair into the hole.

"Fuckin' gross…" A funny complaint coming from the man who'd been the one to put the body in such a state. Ray couldn't help a small giggle thinking about how absurd it was; while she laid the boards back over the pit earning her a flick on the forehead.

"Ow!" The young blonde rubbed at the sore spot.

"Brat."

"Well _your_ the one that decided to make him like that." The blonde childishly stuck her tongue out at the man.

"Just 'cause I like killin' doesn't mean I like touching the corpses…" Zack wrinkled his nose shaking his hands in attempt to rid himself of the filth. "UGH! Now my hands feel disgusting."

"Zack...you're covered in dried blood and that's what you're complaining about?" Rachel pointed out quirking a brow. She couldn't help but tease him at the ridiculousness of the situation.

"Tch! Shut up!" Isaac glared at her. WIth a huff he went to their bag to dig out fresh clothes and bandages. She did have a point.

Having dealt with the mess and changed clothes; the pair made themselves as comfortable as they could. Luckily the cops didn't seem to wander this far back. Regardless they were sitting ducks until dark. And it would be a long wait until nightfall.

 **Thank you for reading! Sorry for the long wait.**

 **Follow on tumblr or twitter for news on future updates and/or AoD artwork**

 **/ghostwulf0313**


	7. Chapter 7

" _ **Escaped mass murderer, Isaac Foster suspected in recent killings."**_

Just as Ray had suspected, not even 24 hours had passed and already the authorities had alerted the public. It was there, in big bold letters on the television screen of the gas station she had stopped by to restock on supplies.

The young woman sighed, knowing that this was going to make it difficult for them to get out of the city. Yet she could not find it within her to be cross with the man over his momentary lack of restraint. Not after the piece of his past he had shared; she felt she was just as much to blame even if it had only been an accident on her part.

Just the thought of what had happened to him caused her heart to sting. Rachel knew beforehand that he had a rough past like her, but she had no idea just how bad it really had been. She regretted being so insensitive to it back on Cathy's floor, now that she knew the whole story it explained his reason for getting so agitated back then.

Rachel carefully deposited the supply of snacks onto the counter, quickly paid the cashier, then stuffed everything into her travel bag and made her way towards the exit. The woman was stopped momentarily, when the cashier called after her.

"Be careful out there ma'am, killers on the loose."

A fake smile crept up her lips, as she nodded at the man's warning; even though it held no weight for her. Rachel tugged the fur lined hood of her jacket over her blonde head before pushing the glass door open and making her exit.

The beat of her heart quickened upon spotting two policemen parked just outside chatting away over cups of coffee. Though she did not need to worry about herself given she had been declared dead; the increasing presence of law enforcement made her uneasy. Cops were posted around every corner it seemed. Ray pulled up her blue scarf over to conceal the majority of her face, even if they wouldn't be actively looking for her, it wasn't worth it to risk the possibility of one of them recognizing her. She had been right to wait for nightfall before making a move, it would have been much too dangerous to try to head out during the day and while Zack was still recovering from the drug.

"Yo." A tall man in a black hoodie called to her from his place leaned up against an alley wall, a large scythe propped handle up next to him. Had she not known he was there from earlier, she would not have even been able to see him with the only light being a small street lamp at the beginning of alley.

He casually waited for her to close the distance between them, before taking a step forward to slip the bag from her shoulder and sling it over his own, along with the other bag they carried.

"There are police everywhere." Ray informed him, "...Zack I can be useful and carry something."

The man had been insistent on carrying all of their supplies, claiming she tired out too fast the times she had tried to help. Regardless, it made her feel guilty for him to carry everything on top of his scythe. Isaac merely smiled and ruffled her blonde locks knocking her hood down in the process.

"Nah, yer weak ass wouldn't be able to keep up with that extra baggage." He smirked at the petty expression she wore after he flicked her nose, knowing full well she hated it when he would do that.

"I'm not that weak...I got stronger." Ray mumbled staring at her feet, she didn't want to slow the man down and desired to do all she could to be useful. However, he made that difficult at times.

"Nope. Yer still just a weak little brat."

The young woman pouted sticking her tongue out at the man; causing a light chuckle to rumble from his chest; before they began their careful departure of the city. The plan had been for Ray to scout just a bit ahead for any cops that might be around, giving Zack the okay to move forward after she had double checked that the coast was clear.

Though there was very little light Ray's night vision had developed quite a bit to the darkness over time, though not near as good as the serial killer following behind her; but she managed better than most.

The beam of a flashlight glowed just around the corner of the brick wall, causing Rachel stop abruptly with Zack following her lead. Isaac then grasped her wrist and tugged her a couple paces down the alleyway. The man silently pointed to a ladder attached to the side of the building up to the roof; from what she could tell it ascended all the way to the top of the building. Zack tucked his scythe against his body then picked her up just enough to allow her to clutch on to the iron bars. Her feet pushed her off the wall as she worked her way up. Her companion followed suit soon as she had gained enough distance.

Upon reaching the top Rachel extended her hand out to assist Zack, who rolled his eyes at her; but took her hand nonetheless. The young woman then scanned her surroundings, noticing that this building was just slightly taller than the rest.

The wind whipped her long hair behind her as her blue eyes looked about; now that she was able to have a clear view of the city. They were nearly to the outskirts and there was a forest of evergreens in the distance that should provide enough cover. Down below flashes of light shown throughout the alleys as law enforcement hunted for her companion. After the high number of victims in one night, they were definitely on high alert. This really was going to make it difficult for them to leave the city undetected.

"Hey, Zack?"

The woman turned to look at her companion who had watching her, waiting for her to come up with a plan. Even now she was remained the brains of this outfit. Right now though she wasn't entirely sure what to do. Rachel looked away out of habit she lifted a hand to nibble at her index finger; as she pondered the situation.

"Hah? What's up?"

His odd stare fixated on her, waiting for her explanation, as he shoved his hands nonchalantly into his pockets looking awfully relaxed despite their current predicament. Cops were a major pain in the ass no doubt about it but he trusted her entirely to dig them out of the hole he had thrown them in. Though admittedly he did feel guilty that she was always having to clean up his messes these days. It was his fault that the police were combing the streets for him.

"I-I think I might have an idea." She paused a moment before continuing, she knew he wasn't going to like this. "I can lead them away so that you can get out of the city."

"Tch! Ya crazy?!" Isaac stepped forward to glare at her like she sprouted a second head. After the effort he had gone through to get her back, he was not at all keen on the idea of risking them getting seperated. "No way! Not happening."

The woman sighed, he reacted exactly as she had predicted he might, however she couldn't come up with a better solution. The police were only searching for him, she was presumed dead therefore she could tip them off to a particular direction. This would allow Zack the opportunity to escape, and she didn't imagine it would be too difficult for her to give them the slip and follow after him.

"Zack...please. Let me do this. Worst case, we can meet up by that hotel."

She pointed towards a building outside the city limits that wouldn't be too difficult to reach, assuming her plan was successful and she was able to clear a path for them.

Zack however wasn't having it, the idea of her wandering around the city alone at night unsettled him. Even with cops about there was still the possibility of other kinds of trouble. Hell what if they somehow recognized her after all these years and dragged her ass back to that mental institution; just the thought of being seperated from her again made his stomach churn.

"And what if ya get lost again? Or those cops recognize yer face?" Zack grabbed her shoulders, and lowered his face to her level; his jaw clenched "I don't want to do that again, Ray..."

Ray gently placed her her hands over his wrists, she knew exactly what he meant. He didn't want to become separated from her again; and neither did she. Zack was part of her life now, her one and only constant.

"I'll be okay. I can just point them in the wrong direction. I can mark out a path while I'm up here so I won't get lost."

Isaac sighed, then dropped his hands back to his sides tucking them back into his hoodie, as he straightened up. His intense gaze connected with her blue hues, the man really didn't like this idea but he trusted Ray. She had never failed to remove them from an otherwise sticky situation.

"Fine. If ya honestly think you can make back...I'll letcha do this."

"I can do this, Zack." She said as she walked past him to get a better look around in order to plan her escape route.

Rachel tugged her hood over her head after descending down the rusty metal ladder. The light from the the police's search light lit up a good portion of the alleyways, this greatly improved her visibility. Though it also increased the danger, they must be very desperate to have this many cops out at this time of night, and in back alleys particularly.

The small girl formulated a plan in her mind, as she ran towards the nearest set of lights just around the corner. Doing her best to feign a look of panic; something she wasn't particularly good at but it didn't matter as long as they bought it.

"HELP! HELP!" She yelled, making sure they were aware of her presence before drawing their attention.

In mere seconds later Rachel, was surrounded by four officers; three men and one woman. She was forced to squint, and hold a hand up over her eyes to protect herself from the sudden brightness.

"Ma'am? Are you alright?" A woman with red hair was the first to speak.

Rachel quickly put her plan to draw them off to one spot into play, she could only hope that she could be convincing enough to pull this off. All she needed to do was point them in a particular direction, with enough urgency that they the majority of them in that direction.

Zack paced back and forth impatiently, his scythe slung over his shoulder. She had told him to wait for her to signal him that he was good to go. Although it'd probably only been a couple of minutes it had felt like hours since she had left, and the more time passed the more he anxious he felt about the situation.

The man halted when he saw a couple blinks from a flash llight down below. His worried expression instantly replaced by a grin, knowing that was his que to climb down and get the hell out of dodge. However, he wasn't leaving her behind; he had made up his mind about that much. If he had to slice up a cop or two so be it. It wouldn't be the first time and more than likely would not be the last.

Pinpointing where he had seen the flashes of light, was a simple enough task. When he found her, Rachel was standing alone against a wall holding her flashlight. Seemed she had managed to redirect them away without herself getting pulled into the mix.

"Zack?"

Ray looked startled at first as she hadn't expected him to come find her and hadn't known it was him right away. She blinked at the man walking towards her, he was suppose to leave without her not go looking for her first. Though, it really shouldn't come as a surprise to her, he was stubborn.

"Nice job, Ray. Ready to get outta this shithole?"

He greeted her with that sly grin of his, quickly closing the short distance that was left between them. It was obvious from the look on her face, much as she might try to hide it that she had not been thrilled with his decision.

"You said you were going to let me do this."

She was slightly annoyed that he hadn't listened to her but also relieved to see him. At least this way she would not have to worry as much about anyone else sneaking up on her.

"And I did. Didn't I?"

"You were supposed to go and let me meet up with you that was the agreement."

"Nah I said I'd let ya do what ya gotta do. I never said shit about what I was gonna do."

Rachel pinched her brows together and sighed. She supposed it didn't really matter, now that they were in the clear. The cops had taken the bait, so they shouldn't have too much difficulty leaving the city.

 _ *****December*****_

Rachel knelt beside the cooling body of Zack's most recent victim to pilfer the man for some cash. They had camped outside of what she presumed was a strip club, while Rachel carefully chose a victim who she suspected would have a decent amount of money. From the thick stack in his wallet, she knew she had made a wise choice. This would be enough to restock on supplies as well as pick up some new gloves, and perhaps a scarf.

The pair had been roughing it for a quite a while, as such some of their gear was worse for the wear. Snow had begun to blanket the ground, harsher weather had made their travels difficult, often they had to take cover due to the cold. The weather was sure to get worse over the next month, she wanted to do whatever she could to make it as comfortable as possible.

Ray made her way back to her companion and they proceeded back to a little abandoned shack they had found, just a little ways off from the town they had been trudging through. It had a nice little view over a lake, and was just a short cut through the woods. If there ever had been a house to go with it, the home was long gone. There had been a few traces of rubble not far from their little shelter. She wrapped her arms around herself after closing the door behind them.

"Fuck, this sucks." Isaac whined.

Zack tossed the bags to the side, then plopped down on the ground in the corner of the small building. It was empty minus a few rusted tools that had been left behind. Just enough room to set up their sleeping bags, as well as provide a bit more shelter than their tent would.

The man felt real shitty, given their current predicament was really his fault. Had he not allowed himself to given to his urges, they would be living much more comfortably. As a result their trek back would be incredibly slow. Not that they were really in a rush anyway. Given they still where unsure of the situation anymore, they would have to proceed with extreme caution.

Ray, knelt down to dig through one of the packs for a box of matches; then set out to the small mobile fire pit they had found inside the shack along with the two chairs they had set up outside towards the lake.

Snow blanketed the landscape; and part of the large body of water had frozen over except for the deepest areas. She lifted the cover of the pit and prepared a small fire both for warmth and to prepare some food she had purchased from the store.

The last shades of pink and orange streaked the sky, creating almost a glittering effect across the snow. Ray noted that it really was a rather pretty place; though she would prefer a better place to stay. Though really it didn't matter all that much so long as they were together. She had no regrets staying with the man, even if it meant living on the run til the day came for their oath to be fulfilled.

Rachel sat in one of the chairs near the fire; pondering that promise they had made; and how it brought them together. After he had asked her to try to live more, she had tried to do so. She thought about her death less and less with each passing week.

Though there were still moments in which she seemed to be consumed by it all over again...usually if she thought too deeply about the things she had done. That side of herself she hated so much...and her desire to die would suddenly rekindle. However, when this did happened for his sake she kept it to herself. She promised to not ask him to do so just yet...

"Why d'ya look so gloomy all the sudden?"

His voice snapped her from dark thoughts that had begun to form in her mind. She blinked at him, wondering how long he had been standing there while she stewed. His gaze fixated on her, as he took a seat in the other chair, his golden eye seeming to glow from the reflection of the fire dancing across the iris.

Rachel opened her mouth to respond; only to be interrupted by a loud crackling sound, and a flash of green across the sky. The loud noise was startling, neither had been very aware of the date.

"Tits on Christ, what was that!" Zack yelped nearly falling back in his chair. Another burst of color exploded in the sky, this time in a shade of bright red; then followed another and another.

"It must be New Years Eve." She stated as the firecrackers lit up the night sky.

"New years huh?"

The man gazed up at the night sky to watch the fantastic display over the lake. Isaac had seen them many times over the years and would hear people chattering about different holidays the same day as the night they would appear. A small smirk spread across his face; there was always more drunks wandering the alleyways those times too. Not that he'd be having any fun with his favorite sport when they had to stay away from heavily populated areas until the search for him had calmed down.

Though the man had evaded the police for many years even before Rachel came into the picture, he often had to wonder just how he had managed to do it without her. Her quick thinking combined with his raw strength had created the perfect team.

"It's pretty."

"Tch…"

Isaac rolled his eyes at her, such things didn't really interest him. However, though he would not say it out loud he did enjoy seeing how such simple things caused her eyes light up even if it was just a little. Though, her mood did seem a bit different tonight. Ever so often he would notice her eyes go back to more of a solemn state. He didn't usually ask her about it; as he wasn't sure he wanted to know the answer.

A shiver ran up her spine, as a strong wind blew from across the lake; causing her to hug herself instinctively. It would have been really nice to be able to have the warmth of a room rather than some old abandoned shack. She would never complain though, Ray had merely accepted this was her life now; and as long as it was with him she would be okay with that. At least until the day he killed her that is.

"Cold?" Zack asked.

Rachel redirected her focus to her companion, and nodded her head. Zack used his fingers to beckon the small woman over towards himself. Without hesitation she obeyed, as she stood up to close the short distance between them.

"Ah!"

A short gasp escaped her lips, when the man gently grasped her arm to pull her into his lap; and wrap his toned arms around her. Isaac rested his chin on her shoulder, as she leaned her body back into his chest drawn by the warmth and security he provided. She closed her eyes, it was these small moments when he would do things like this for her, that she would feel less of that self hatred that always was in the back of her mind.

"Ya gonna tell me why ya got that dull look on yer face again?"

His question caused her to turn her head to look at him for a moment; she knew he wouldn't be happy with her if she told him the reason. That she still sometimes had moments were she wished he would just kill her; that she still had a sense of self loathing even when he was with her. Though he had always been there to make it more bearable.

Truthfully the time she has spent with Zack has been the happiest she had ever felt; but it didn't rid her of that sick part of herself that she hated so much.

"It's nothing…" She said, knowingly full well it would push his buttons if he caught her lying...which he did.

"Ray…" His voice grew stern. "You know I fuckin' hate lies…"

The man's grip on her tightened, one bandaged hand slid up to grab her face and force her to look at him. She could see the annoyance in his eyes, not that she could blame him. The woman knew the instant the words left her lips, that he would be able to tell she was not being truthful. It had just been almost a reflex to say it.

"I'm sorry...I just don't think it's a good idea to-"

"Yer wantin' to die again aren't you?" Zack cut her off, already knowing the answer.

Rachel tried to turn her head only to be stopped by the tightening of his fingers on her face, his wild gaze intense as always. She instead averted her gaze to the side, not wanting to look at him right now. The young woman sighed, before tilting her head forward into a short nod.

After what felt like several minutes of silence, Ray willed herself to glance back into the eyes that never left her face. She was surprised to see, a softer expression, though his features were relaxed, Zack's eyes looked...sad? The man sighed, before releasing her and placing his hand over his eyes.

"Zack?"

The sound and flashes of multiple firecrackers going off, drowned out her voice, drawing their attention to the night sky. Several colors went off one after the other in a fantastic display. Despite the beautiful show going on a short distance away, the silence between them lingered, and Zack's mood had noticeably taken a downturn.

The man simply sat there holding her, while they observed what appeared to be the finale of the firework show. He knew though he had asked her to try to live longer; because he couldn't work up the urge to kill her, because if she was gone then that meant he would be all alone again. Since she came into his life, he had experienced feelings he didn't understand. Never had he cared for another person, never had he had someone to protect...if she was gone he would never have these feelings about another person ever again. That much he knew was true, his arms tightened around her petite frame; as he buried his face into the crook of her neck.

He also knew that he couldn't completely change her desires anymore than she could change him into someone that wasn't a serial killer running from death row. Yet, she stayed alive for him; she never asked him to kill her again because he asked her not to...not just yet.

"Zack…" Her soft voice whispered. Ray reached a hand up to run through his dark locks of hair, the tips of her fingers massaged at his scalp in a soothing manner. "Even if I feel like this still sometimes...I'm not going to ask it of you…"

"I know...but even if ya don't ask...doesn't change that it's what ya want. Also doesn't change that I still promised you…", He mumbled into her hair, and she could feel the heat of his breath against the back of her neck.

"Zack.."

Rachel shifted in his lap, so that she was sitting with her legs dangling over his thighs; forcing his head up to look at her. A small pale hand reached up to cup the side of his bandaged face.

"If yer still miserable...I don't blame ya…" Sorrow flashed across his pretty amber eye, the look she saw there caused a sting in her heart. "I can't offer ya anything but this shitty life on the run and watchin' our backs 24/7…"

She brought her other hand up and cradled his face between her palms, her thumbs gently brushing against the bits of exposed skin beneath his eyes.

"I don't care about that...if I am going to be alive I wouldn't want to be anywhere but with you…" she paused, "It's true...at times I still get that feeling like I need to die; like i shouldn't be alive. But I'm not miserable with you. I just...I don't know."

"Hey, Ray?" Zack brought a hand up to tuck a few strands of hair behind her ear. "Back then...ya said that ya already tried to create a perfect family...but it wasn't real, because they weren't alive. Right?"

The young woman cocked her head at him not understanding why he was bringing that up now.

"Yeah…"

"But that's what ya wanted isn't it?" He asked.

"...I wanted a perfect family...but it's too late for that now…" Her eyes went even more dull, as she grew sickened at the thought of what she had done.

"Is it now?" He looked at her intently, his expression intense, it reminded her vaguely of that time when he had to snap her out of that haze of insanity; and helped her to accept who she was. "I don't know much about families...what they look like or what they're supposed t' do...so what does that really mean?"

"I-I don't know...I guess It's people who care about and take care of each other before anyone else."

The corners of his mouth tilted up into a smirk, Isaac combed his fingers through her hair and pulled her a little closer.

"Well...isn't that kind of what we do? Catch my drift?"

Rachel's eyes began to light up, as she started to understand what it was the man was trying to get at. He wasn't trying to fix her, or tell her she was wrong for how she felt. However, what had sparked what she had done that night...it was because of what she desired above anything else...to have a perfect family. Her family had been far from perfect, somehow she had thought in a twisted part of her head that it could be fixed with a needle and thread just like her dolls or clothes. That she could somehow fix it and turn it into something it wasn't and never would be.

What she had with him was everything she had wanted but never had from her biological family. She was cared for and wanted; he never made her feel like a waste of space, he encouraged her to make her own choices. Something no one else had ever done for her, not even Doctor Danny. The truth was that she _did_ have a perfect family now...and he was right here, alive and well.

"Yeah." A small smile formed on her face, and the faint sparkle that was only for him returned.

"Good girl."

 ****January****

The need for money and supplies, drove the pair into a nearby city. Ray had tried to avoid heavily populated areas for the most part, however as the weather grew colder she wasn't sure they should be out in the wilderness. The snow had been falling rather heavily off and on the past few days. However, staying directly in the small city was not a wise move either. The news had gone more quiet about his reappearance, they were able to walk about a bit more freely, though not without caution.

They would simply cut through, acquire some cash, stock up on supplies then if possible perhaps they could find a warmer place just outside the city on the other side to stay for a few nights. At least until the snow slowed down, camping in it had not been ideal.

It was nightfall by time they had accomplished their goals and were nearing the city outskirts; then they would be able to take cover more easily. Ray had also remembered to stop by a store and purchase a charger for the phone she had fished off of the man who had been pursuing them for so long. If they could locate a motel to stay in for the night, she could get it charged up an perhaps there might be some missed calls or messages, to give a clue as to what was really going on. It was unlikely it would still be in service, but if there was even a slight chance...

"Hey isn't that..? YOU STOP! Isaac Foster you are under arrest!"

A male voice cut through her thoughts, stopping the pair of them dead in their tracks. She felt her heart rate increase, as it registered that they had just walked past a pair of cops. Ray had been so deep into her thoughts, that she hadn't paid attention.

"Fuck!" Zack cursed, spinning around.

She also turned to see two officers standing directly behind them. Their gun's aimed directly at Zack who was poised with his scythe; his jaw clenched.

"Holy shit! Is that the girl?"

One of the cops shifted his shocked gaze towards Rachel - ah that's right she was supposed to be dead wasn't she? His companion nodded in recognition and went to reach for his radio.

Zack glanced over at Ray, who tilted her head slightly forward knowing what the man was thinking. They had discussed what they would do should a scenario such as this occur. Now was the time to place that plan into action. Rachel carefully stuck her hand inside her pocket. Isaac was quick to have her held in front of him like a hostage his scythe across her neck; causing the policeman to freeze. As planned Ray would do the talking; after all Zack couldn't lie.

Soon as his blade was around her neck the officer paused then twisted his face in disgust.

"If you were going to kill her you sick bastard; you would've already done so."

Isaac growled, pressing the sharp blade closer to her neck almost cutting the soft flesh; as the man tried to call his bluff. The metal was cold against her pale skin, but it did not make her even the least bit afraid.

"Please sir….he really will do it."

Ray feigned the innocent victim as she had done on prior occasions. Her expression was empty, as she gazed at the two men before them. They couldn't be allowed to escape now that they had seen her. This was something she knew both her and Zack non verbally agreed on.

The cop's raised their hands in a non hostile stance, meaning they were not going to take the chance that she was not telling the truth. This would work in their favor as it always had in the past.

" Isaac...let the girl go." The man nervously tried to give Ray a smile. "It's gonna be alright sweety. We will get you away from this _monster."_

She felt Zack tense up soon as they uttered that word; she knew how much he hated it. Honestly it made her angry as well, they truly were clueless when it came to her relationship with the man. Rachel's exterior gave away nothing,she just knew they needed to get out of this situation quickly and without drawing anymore attention.

"Toss your weapons over...and he will let me go."

Rachel, tightened her grip on the small handgun in her pocket; bracing herself incase she would need to withdraw it. She would rather not as it would make too much noise and eventually attract more more law enforcement.

The two men slowly motioned their bodies to the ground; carefully they placed their guns to the ground, and kicked them towards the serial killer.

"Alright….we've done as you asked….now the girl go." The pair slowly stepped back.

A sadistic grin painted over Zack's face, as he removed the blade from Ray's neck. Without a moment's hesitation, he lunged towards the policemen with his weapon reeled back. A maniacal cackle rumbling from his chest.

One of the men was quick to react pulling a hidden handgun from his vest, he managed to get off a single shot which Isaac dodged easily before slicing his body in half with a single movement. The crazy serial killer swiftly pivoted on his feet to send another blow to the dead man's companion. His blade erupted from the man's chest, as the sound of bone breaking through his back and blood spattering echoed in his ears.

Zack grinned sadistically as he yanked the blade from the man's back, then stomped on a receiver that had fallen to the ground, smashing it to bits. After he flicked the excessive crimson liquid from his blade, he turned to face his companion to praise her for a job well done.

The smile fell from his face, as he took in her small frame kneeling on the ground, blood stained her clothing, her expression hidden by her blonde tresses...the single bullet he had dodged had hit Rachel...

"R-ray?"


	8. Chapter 8

Suddenly the world stops, a violent flashback of her bleeding out in his arms plays before his eyes. A gunshot followed by her soft voice almost whispering his name just before her body collapsed on the ground. The pool of crimson that seeped from her body and onto his clothes the moment he pulled her up into his arms begging her to stay with him. The night he had rathered burn to death in that building than to leave without her alive. The night when for the first time he learned what it was like to feel like someone you cared about was going to die. Zack rushed back towards her his scythe clattering to the ground beside them, as he pulled her small frame against him.

"R-ray?" His voice croaked out his tone weak, she couldn't die she just couldn't - not like this.

He brushed the golden hair from her face as she slowly looked up at him. A couple of tears pooled in the corners of her blue orbs. It was then that he realized she was clutching at her shoulder. A small sigh of relief escaped his lips as he realized she had not been hit in a fatal location.

"I-I'll be okay. It just hurts."

She removed her hand to reveal the bullet wound in her shoulder, his eyes examined her noting that there was both an entrance and an exit wound meaning the bullet had gone clean through. Even he knew that meant less complications as they wouldn't have to worry about removing the trajectile from her injury . It hadn't hit anything vital, but she was still bleeding quite a bit. Isaac moved to shrug the bags from his shoulders to try to find something to help with the bleeding. A small hand on his cheek stopped him, causing the man to shift his eyes back up to look at her.

"It's not bad...We need to get out of here. That shot might've been heard." Ray, reasoned with him.

It hurt, really hurt but she knew her wound was not fatal. It could wait for them to get somewhere safe before she treated herself. Rachel watched as her companion snagged the first shirt saw and handed it to her; afterall something was better than nothing until they could get to a safer area. She took the cotton shirt gratefully and with it kept her hand pressed to the wound, while she struggled to her feet.

"Ya sure yer alright?" He pressed her further, Zack knew she was unlikely to say something about how she was really feeling unless he asked.

"I'm sure."

Rachel attempted a weak smile to reassure him, as he gazed up at her unconvinced. The man uttered a sigh then before slinging the bags back over her shoulders. He then grasped his scythe and tucked the handle in between the pack's straps and his back, almost like a sheathe. Satisfied that it would remain in place, Zack got to his own feet then without a word of warning scooped her up into his arms. This drew a surprised squeak from the teenager as he held her against his chest. It was something he always did without letting her know first and while she couldn't say she minded every time he managed to take her by surprise.

"Zack...I can walk." She said with an insistent pout drawn across her face, but wrapped her slender arms around his neck all the same.

"No."

There was no sense arguing, once the man had made up his mind, it was a slim to none chance of changing it. Ray, hadn't the energy to do so anyway; so the young woman merely leaned her head against his shoulder as he carried her out of the city. Soon exhaustion began to overtake her, whether from the bloodshed or the days travels - perhaps a bit of both; she couldn't be sure. The young woman tucked her face into the crook of his neck, closing her cerulean eyes while she allowed his fluid movements to lull her into a deep sleep.

The sound of crickets and the chirping of birds accompanied by the scent of the crisp winter air filled her senses as Rachel's eyes fluttered open. The young woman noted that she was resting on a rather soft surface, which she recognized to be a sleeping bag with a thick blanket draped over her.. It was almost dawn judging from the small amount of light that hovered over the polyester material of their travel tent, she wondered how long she had slept and where they were. Golden strands fell forward as she attempted to motion her body up into a seated position.

"Ah!"

Rachel flinched, clasping a hand to her shoulder in reaction to the jolt of pain that shot through her. For a moment there she had entirely forgotten she had been wounded. Taking a few deep breaths to soothe the pain she proceeded upward with caution. It wasn't until she was sitting up that she realized she had been stripped down to her tank top. Judging from the bandaging around her shoulder it appeared that Zack had taken it upon himself to treat her wound as she slept. The thought brought a faint smile to her lips, before then wondering where the man was.

A chill crept over her torso without the cover of her warm sleeping bag causing her small body to tremble, wrapping her arms around herself as she scanned the tent for their bags. Luckily both were within arms reach hidden beneath her black puffer coat which she draped over her as she searched for something warm to wear. The young woman winced as dug through one of the bags to withdraw a gray sweatshirt which she struggled to pull over her head, then slipped into the warmth of her coat.

"Zack?" Ray called, crawling to the entrance of the tent then using her uninjured arm to tug at the zipper; stepping out as she clutched at her injured shoulder.

They were in the middle of the woods that much was obvious. The sound of water indicated a small creek was probably nearby, the ground was littered with dead leaves and leftover snow that hadn't melted from the sun since the weather while cold wasn't cold enough for it to stick around for too long. Not far from the tent by a log suitable for sitting was a collection of stones set up neatly into a circle with some wood set up in the center. Though it was clear it hadn't been lit, Zack was willing to allow her to make a small campfire for warmth and food. However he hadn't overcome the fear enough to take up the task of lighting the wood himself.

The woman called out to him once more as he was nowhere in was about to panic as the silence grew, she then heard the crunch of leaves and snow being trampled underfoot, and turned to see the man walking towards her, as he buttoned up his jeans..

"Chill. I'm right here, Ray." The man closed the distance between them, from the blood and dirt covering his bandages it was evident he hadn't bothered to clean himself up just yet. Rather he probably wouldn't unless she insisted on it.

"How's yer shoulder?"

Rachel knelt in front of the small fire pit he had set up surprised he actually paid attention all the time she had tried to explain the steps to him just incase it was ever necessary, a subtle way she had tried to help him to get over this fear of fire. However, he had actually done a pretty good job; all there was to do now was pull the small box of matches from where she kept them in her coat pocket and light the smaller pieces of wood at the bottom.

"It's...sore...but I'll be alright. Thank you for bandaging me up, Zack."

She smiled up at the man who had stepped back a few paces, his wild gaze fixated on the flame in a distrustful manner. He turned his head away as he glanced at her from the corner of his eye and raised a hand to scratch at his cheek.

"Don't mention it.."

Later that afternoon Raywas huddled up in the tent, it did at least help protect from the cold breeze whipping through the masses of leafless trees and everpines outside. Zack laid next to her napping, while she fidgeted with the phone she had pilfered off the man they had eluded for so long. She attempted several different combinations only to get locked out of the device for a couple of seconds before attempting again. Frustrated, the woman turned the cellphone back off knowing the battery would die soon if they didn't get a charger and shoved it back into one of the smaller pouches of her backpack.

Ray glanced at her companion, he slept on his back with one arm draped over her eyes and the other across his belly. His lips were slightly parted as he took slow shallow breaths. He slept like this rather often, when she wasn't using him as a source of warmth. She couldn't blame him for knocking out so early. The man had carried all their luggage, his weapon and her a considerable distance. Despite his unusual stamina and vitality it seemed even he had his limits.

Rachel frowned for a moment, as she stared at the soiled bandages he had been too exhausted to change out of. A small delicate hand reached into the second smallest pocket to retrieve a couple of spools of gauze. Ray had seen the burns on his lower abdomen when she sewed up his stomach back then. However even now he still refused to show her the rest of his scars. It stung a little to realize that even after knowing each other for two years now, the man still wasn't comfortable enough to show her his bare face. She still didn't know what he really looked like; all she knew was that he still viewed himself as a monster, no matter how many times she tried to assure him in her eyes he was human.

It would be a lie to say she wasn't curious...that she hadn't been tempted to take a peak on occasions when he had left the bathroom door cracked while he changed his wrappings. However, she always stopped herself not wanting to cross a boundary he wasn't ready for her to cross; if he ever would be she wanted it to be because he allowed her to see him. For now all she could do was hope the day would come before she died that he would finally trust her with that part of himself he hid from the world. She would never want to do anything to make the man uncomfortable. Ray only wished that he would understand that she accepted all of him, even the parts he hated.

With a heavy sigh the young woman then carefully stripped down to her tank top once more to check on her wound and replace the bandages. She reached out with her good arm once again to withdraw some basic first aid supplies she had picked up at a drugstore a while back.

"Ah!" Ray's heart jumped from surprise in her chest as a bandaged hand gently clasped her wrist.

Zack had woken up and was staring directly at her, an inscrutable expression painted his face. The killer sat up, then leaned to collect the medical supplies she had been going for.

"I got it, ,Ray." He muttered, setting the disinfectant and some ointment down within arms reach.

The man had been very attentive to her throughout the entire day. From changing her bandages to making sure she was warm and was eating. While Zack had always shown a level of care for her that no other person ever got to see, this was unusual even for him. Of course the reason why was no mystery, she wasn't and idiot; even in her injured state she could see how distraught he had been after the doctor had shot her. Of course back then she mostly had thought it was simply because he didn't want to be a liar which was why she said she would bare their oath instead. However, now looking back she was certain there was more to it than just that. That much had become clear the night he asked her to try to live for him too

"Thank you again, Zack."

She then slipped out of her straps on the side that needed tending and turned so that he could access her shoulder. A faint smile on her lips as her insides filled with that warmth that only he could provide her. For the first time she felt truly wanted and cared for both in life and in death. Her face settled back then to her usual expression, her blonde locks swaying as she turned to face him.

"You should change yours too…"

The man grunted in response with his eyes entirely focused on her injury, as he carefully removed the bloodied cloth from her shoulder and tossed it aside. She watched as he then dug around one of the front pockets for a clean cloth to dampen with some of the disinfectant. Rachel remained perfectly still then bracing herself for what she knew was to come in the next few seconds as he moved back towards her arm. Though it made little difference as she expelled a sharp gasp through her clenched teeth, her body flinching in reaction to the stinging sensation she had tried to mentally prepare herself for.

"Sorry…" He muttered, his wild gaze had flicked up with an expression of concern before returning to focus on the task at hand.

Though she knew it was necessary she couldn't help the feeling of relief once that part was over and he carelessly discarded the rag to the side. However what he did next had her eyes widened with surprise, watching as he seemed to hesitate a moment before unraveling some of the bandages around two of his fingers; revealing tanned skin underneath. Raising his hand up to tear the gauze away with his teeth, then reaching back down to snatch the ointment.

Unable to help herself, Ray moved her free hand over his before he was even able to get the cap off. It was apparent from the way he refused to look at her that he was nervous, though she had seen arm a few times. Albeit it was always very brief from him reaching out of the bathroom to collect something from her. She had never had the time to actually examine or touch his skin save for that day she had sewn his belly up for him.

"R-ray?"

Startled by the sudden intrusion his eyes darted down to see her lightly grazing the bare skin of his middle and index finger. That simple touch had his heart pounding as he noticed how soft her skin felt on his. Meanwhile his mind screamed at him to pull away, yet he was fascinated that she was okay with touching him. Just like before when she saw his stomach she hadn't seemed repulsed at all. There was that warmth again...but even so he couldn't help his insecurities.

"How can ya stand to touch my fucked up skin like that?" He asked, now staring off to the side. His cheeks felt so hot he was certain she could feel it radiating through the bandages from where she sat.

Ray looked up at him with those blue eyes which seemed to grow more radiant by the to see them appear to darken as her mind absorbed his comment. From the now gloomy expression on her face, it was evident that she was less than displeased by his comment.

"There is nothing wrong with your skin, Zack.."

She then caressed the skin on his fingers, as if to prove a point. The man really didn't know how to react. Thank god for the bandages which covered his face, he could feel the heat on his cheeks spreading throughout the rest of his body. Her words moved him in a way he didn't quite understand, her touch was soothing in a way.

"Tch.."

It took a moment but, Zack snapped out of his small trance and pulled away to resume his task of dressing the bullet hole in her shoulder. Had he bothered to look he would have noticed the slight disappointment that crossed his younger companions features as her hand seemed to linger in the spot it held his moments ago before allowing it to fall back into her lap.

Neither spoke much the rest of the evening, Isaac resumed his nap; while later after the sun went down Ray had another go at the phone. They would need to find a charger and an outlet at some point, as the battery had drained to 47%. She was about to give up again, when finally it seemed luck was on her side. Her heart leapt as she watched the home screen pop up.

She hadn't ever had a phone before, so she wasn't entirely familiar with the ins and outs of the device, but she knew enough from watching other kids at school. Eager to possibly acquire some answers, Ray first opened up text messages. Her heart dropped, as she saw it was empty...so was the call log, even the contacts had been cleaned out.

Infact, almost all of the data had been wiped from the phone.

For the first time in a while the woman felt truly frustrated and unsure of what to do. In a small fit of anger that was very much unlike her, Ray threw the device across the dark tent and- accidentally into Zack's face. The man woke with a start, his body bolting up into an alert position. After realizing there was no one aside from himself and Rachel he shot her a glare as he rubbed at the sore spot on his face. Though it was too dark to see when he felt around to locate what had caused the pain on his cheek.

"What th'hell, Ray?!" the man growled.

"I'm sorry...it was an accident. I-I got frustrated…" Rachel curled up into a fetal position.

Isaac sat up, spotting her small silhouette sitting with her back against the wall of the tent facing towards him. Though he couldn't make out her expression, he could tell from the tone in her voice that she wasn't alright. The man gave his cheek another rub before moving to crawl over to sit beside her with his wrists resting on propped up knees.

"What happened?", He asked.

"I managed to unlock the phone finally...but there was nothing on it. Not even a contact list…"

"So…?" He didn't really see why that would be so bothersome to her. So what if they didn't have all of the information.

"So...I don't know what to do."

Ah, so that was it. Ray who always seemed to have a plan was frustrated because she felt like she wasn't being useful. He casually reached over to tuck a couple of strands behind her ear. It wasn't as if they were in some sort of rush really, they had been just fine on their own. All of this really just spawned as a question of why the reverend would bother to help them after everything. Why had he helped him escape prison, given him a scythe and his clothes? Why had he told him Ray's location? Lastly if he had this man he had beheaded looking for them what was the reason? While it was all really shady it wouldn't make sense for the old man to have any sinister intentions after doing so much to help them out.

"Well...then just hang on t' it. I don't know much about how those things work...but.." Zack ruffled his black hair, "...If the old man really has anything to do with that shithead...he'd call eventually?"

Rachel subconsciously leaned against his shoulder; while her lips turned upward into a faint smile. It was a bit amusing how Zack always seemed to claim himself as not being particularly bright but really he just didn't want to apply himself. Whenever he actually tried he did pretty well at trying to figure things out. Sure a lack of education was to blame for a lot of it but Zack was far from stupid. If he ever bothered to actually try to learn to read amongst other basic things that were taught in school he would probably pick it all up pretty fast.

"Yeah, I suppose that's true…"

 *****April****

The last of the winter snow had melted a couple weeks ago, the budding of fresh flowers littering the landscape indicated the shift from winter to spring. After Rachel had mostly healed they had taken off, keeping themselves mostly hidden within the safety of the forest when possible. By this point they were not entirely sure where they even were, or how close they were to their destination.

Ray only knew to follow the road signs that she knew led east, occasionally stopping at a gas station for supplies or to ask for directions. She was even able to acquire a phone charger, along with a new map to assist in their journey. Though the charger would do them little good without an outlet. They would need to try to stay in a place with electricity soon. After months of roughing it, warm water and even a crappy motel bed sounded like a nice luxury the both of them could use.

However, at least for now all she wanted to enjoy was their little camping spot they had come across trying to run through the woods in order to avoid a group of policemen in a nearby town. It was a small field of wildflowers, seemingly untouched by the presence of man; a hidden gem within the vast miles of everpines. Zack had been the one to suggest that they spent some time there since she had seemed to like it so much.

Pale golden locks splayed across the soft grass, the scent of the forest intermingled with the budding flora filled her senses, as she lay peacefully with her eyes closed. It really was a beautiful place, a perfect little sanctuary where they could be in their own little world. She silently wished to herself that the two of them could one day find a place like this with a home. A means to remain stationary to not have to watch their backs everywhere they went. At times she had to wonder if such a life would ever even be possible for them.

"Out here again huh?"

Isaac plopped down into a sitting position next to her. A small smile crept up the edges of her mouth as she nodded in response. Knowing that despite it being late into the afternoon, the man had probably just barely woken up. She wondered if this is how he would be if they ever did have a place of their own. A small fantasy played out through her mind.

"Th'hell are ya smiling about?" Zack asked, watching her curiously.

"It's nothing important…" Her blue eyes fluttered open, before connecting with his. "I was just thinking that it would be nice if we ever had a home in a place like this."

Her gaze shifted to the sky, it was relatively clear except for a few fluffy clouds. A subtle breeze swept through the field, causing the mass of color to sway to and fro.

"Home huh?"

Zack's mismatched eyes remained fixated on her face. He couldn't help but notice how happy she seemed in that moment, deep in her thoughts. What would it be like? He silently wondered. To not be on the move constantly, to have a place to call their own that wasn't just some abandoned building? If he had ever truly experienced such a thing, he no longer had any memory of it.

A life like that seemed far out of his reach, how could a murderer like him ever live a remotely normal life? He glanced down at the young woman next to him from the corner of his eye. A sigh escaped his lips before he motioned his body down to his back; his hands crossed behind his nape.

Rachel shuffled closer to him, resting her golden head against his chest. She could feel his body tense up for a moment, muttering a ' _tch'_ , before he slowly relaxed. It wasn't that he was not used to being in such close proximity to her; but usually it was out of necessity or comfort. Only occasionally would they do this for no reason, and much as he might complain about it, or ask her what she was doing when she got this close...Not once did he ever push her away.

After a particular incident not long ago, of her responding that she simply liked being close to him like this; he stopped asking her why and just went with it. Her small smile widened as she recalled the look of disbelief on his face. How he had tugged his hood down his face, grumbling something inaudible, as she cuddled against his chest much like she was now.

"Zack?"

Blue eyes shifted upward towards the serial killer, noticing how he seemed to be lost in thought - something that didn't occur particularly often. As such she had to wonder what could possibly be on his mind.

"What?"

"Are you thinking about something?" She asked getting straight to the point.

"Huh? Whaddya talkin' about?"

Her question earned her a quick glance and an eye roll before his wild eyes darted off elsewhere.

"Nevermind…"

His body language alone was enough for her to know that he _had_ been thinking about something but whatever it was he wouldn't want to talk about it. Once his mind was made up, it was a waste of time to even bother. By now she knew enough about Zack's mannerisms by now to deduce that much. Deciding then to redirect her focus up at the sky.

Even if her wish to die still seemed to resurface from time to time, being with him seemed to dull that feeling of self hatred that had festered after everything that had happened. As such it was probably selfish to really consider the possibility of finding a means for them to live comfortably.

 _A place to really call home..._

The following day the pair had come up on a more suburban area on the outskirts of a small city. After stopping by a fast food burger joint, the two headed into a wooded park that appeared to have few visitors, seating themselves at a picnic table. While Rachel dug through the wallet Zack had given to her from one of his victims that she had decided to keep to store money in, the hooded man sat up on top of the old wooden table happily scarfing down one of the burgers they had picked up on the way here.

Given the lack of police activity and there not seeming to be any news of their whereabouts she had decided it would probably be a good idea for them to try to find a motel to stay in. Clean up and get their clothes washed up, it was getting to a point where she wasn't able to go anywhere public without drawing attention due to wear and tear on their clothing.

Luckily since they had been roughing it for so long, only spending on what they absolutely needed they probably would be able to find a place to stay for a few nights and possibly replace some of their old clothes and equipment. Not to mention this would also be a good opportunity to use the phone charger and see if there had been anymore messages on the phone they had picked up off that man. Anything that might indicate if he really did have any kind of connection to Gray and if so what was it?

Even if they were both still very wary of the old priest, there had to be a reason he had been trying to find them. She had to wonder why he hadn't tried to find them sooner. However, it was possible that he had and they had just gotten out of that city far quicker than he had expected. After all they had managed to cover quite a bit of ground picking up rides on trucks or whatever else they could hop onto.

Satisfied the blonde, closed the wallet and tucked it safely away into the small pocket of one of their bags. Her blue eyes glanced up at the man sitting nearby her as he dug into the brown paper bag for another burger. A small smile crept up the side of her lips; it always amused her how content he became when he had something he enjoyed eating. Zack really was like a big kid sometimes and it was something she found rather endearing about the man even if at times it could be an inconvenience as well.

"We should have enough to stay somewhere for a little while and get some new clothes." She commented, finally opening up the wrapping to her own burger. "Last year got pretty hot...are you sure you don't want to get something lighter to wear?"

Zack's eyes darted over towards hers, shaking his head as he went to pick up the soda and sip from the straw. "Nah.."

The young blonde uttered a small sigh, then continued to eat her food in silence. His answer wasn't surprising to her but she knew how miserable they both were last summer. The man wasn't even willing to remove his bandages despite the heat and she knew it had to be uncomfortable with the way they clung to his skin from the sweat. A small frown tugged at the corners of her lips, as she placed her burger down and snagged the soda they had been sharing once he was finished drinking from it.

"Then…" Her expression flattened upon picking up the cup to find there was nothing but ice left...also unsurprising. "Maybe we can try to get more money to stay in places with air conditioning this time…"

She was given no more than a grunt in response, as she dug through one of their bags to pull out a bottle of water to quench her thirst instead. The pair finished the rest of their meal in silence before going to retrieve Zacks scythe from the bushes it had been hidden and took off through the woods, keeping close to the road.

It wasn't until nightfall that Ray had managed to secure them a room in a hotel, Zack moved from his spot in the woods soon as she appeared and waved him over. The petite woman slipped the card key into the slot, unlocking the door to allow the pair of them inside. Even though she had showed him a while back how to properly insert the key into the slot, she never gave him the chance to actually do it himself. Not that he could blame her after his dumbass had nearly gotten them killed back on B3 after he broke the key to their freedom.

It was a typical double bed room, with all the basics though it did seem maybe a bit nicer than the usual places they found themselves in. Zack set him weapon up against the wall then deposited their bags carelessly onto the floor before plopping himself down onto one of the beds. Snagging the remote then from the nightstand to find something to entertain himself with.

Meanwhile, Rachel shrugged off her light jacket and placed it neatly onto a nearby table then moved to one of the bags onto one of the chairs to dig out a few spools of bandages for him, as well as all of their clothes which she moved into a plastic bag. Having been on the road for so long it was doubtful either had any clean clothing anymore. His wild eyes flicked over towards her as she moved closer to the bed he was on with his fresh wrappings.

"You can shower while I go do laundry...it might take a while though but at least that way all of your things will be clean…"

"An what am I suppose t' do til then? Camp out here in a towel?"

A splash of pink spread across her cheeks, just the reaction he was looking for. A look of amusement on his face as she looked away in embarrassment. It'd start to become a bit of a hobby of his to try and see what he could do or say to evoke different expressions from her. While most of the time he was just given that usual deadpan stare every now and then he was successful. Though those expressions never seemed to trigger him, not even her smiles which had been genuine on more than one occasion.

He wasn't sure if he would be able to ever work up the urge for it even when the day came and he knew she would probably ask him to do it again. She said she would try to live for him...but it was obvious sometimes that death was still on her mind. While he never wanted to lie to her...or to ever become a liar he didn't know what would do if that time came. It was a strange feeling though, as while he had no urges to do it he also didn't want anyone or anything else to do the job for him.

"I...I'll just wash what we have here then if you want to wait…" Rachel answered softly, turning away after depositing the bandages on the nightstand.

Before heading out the young teen moved back towards their bags to retrieve the dead cellphone and charger; which she set up to charge then headed out to complete her task. Fortunately the laundry mat was just a short walk from their room, she was able to buy a single use detergent from a vending machine. Her long strands fell over her face as she hefted the bag up to dump their clothes into the machine.

Ray then settled herself on one of the chairs sitting up against the side of the room, snagging a news paper from a nearby side table to preoccupy herself with in the meantime. Curious to see if perhaps there was anymore news involving the two escapees, well namely Zack...afterall she had been called dead quite some time ago. She was such a nobody that most people had probably already forgotten about her.

A sigh of relief fell from her lips as her blue hues scanned the pages, there was news of a serial killer back in the state they were trying so hard to get back to, but the murders appeared to be too well thought out to be Zack. Which of course it couldn't have been him anyway seeing as they had been halfway across the country for quite some time now. Aside from that however there was nothing to indicate the police had any idea of Zack's where abouts or if he was still around to begin with.

A faint smile painted across her face once she reentered the motel room a little more than two hours later to find the serial killer curled up seeming to be asleep exactly where she left him. Rachel deposited the bag of fresh laundry onto a chair, pulling out a fresh pair of clothing for each of them which she placed on the table. Though she couldn't resist the temptation to go over to the side of the bed he rested on. She knelt down resting her chin on her arms which she had crossed on top of the bed.

"I'm back." She whispered, entirely aware he probably couldn't hear her since he was asleep.

Ray always enjoyed these moments when she came back from an errand to find the man passed out. A small hand reached out to brush some of the inky black strands from his face, just like a few other times she could allow herself this bit of indulgence they were soft to the touch. She uttered a contented sigh as she ran her fingers through his hair, admiring the structure of his face that she could make out beneath the layers of gauze.

Had she been anyone else, she might have jumped when a bandaged hand shot out to grasp her wrist. Rather her reaction was to just blink at the unexpected motion, her gaze shifted down to find a pair of odd colored eyes staring at her with a rather odd expression on his face.

"Whaddya think yer doin'?"

Though he was probably used to her touching him, or cuddling up close even holding his hand when they were in a hurry. She figured he probably never thought much of any of those things, so it would make sense for him to be confused by her actions. Truthfully she didn't even know how to answer his question. What was she doing? Why did she do it though? Only when he was asleep or she thought he was in this instance would she dare to touch him like that. It was just this silent urge that only seemed to grow the more time they spent together. It was that warm feeling she didn't understand that would drive her desires to find an excuse to be close or touch him.

"I'm sorry…"Her gaze shifted downward, not bothering to try to remove her wrist from his grasp. "Was that...not okay?"

He stared back at her in silence for a brief moment, before uttering a soft sigh and averting his eyes away as he responded. "It's...a little weird...but I didn't hate it…"

It wasn't any stranger than when she attempted to give him that back massage, though he wasn't pretending to be asleep for that. Zack finally released her wrist then motioned himself up into a seated position. His eyes moving back towards the small blonde who was now smiling quietly to herself. The killer rolled his eyes, before moving off the bed towards the clothing she had folded neatly on the nearby table.

His eyes were drawn to the small cellular device she had plugged in earlier, admittedly curious about it though it would be a little use for him when he couldn't read for shit. Perhaps he should have taken up Ray's offer a while back when she mentioned trying to teach him how. It wasn't that he hadn't wanted to learn, he just felt embarrassed about it to an extent. Having tried to teach himself and failed miserably, he wasn't sure if he would even be able to but…

"Ray?"

He turned to face the small blonde who had gotten up and followed him to the desk presumably to show him which clothes to take.

"Hm?" Blonde strands swayed as tilted her head at him questioningly, holding a closed fist against her chest as her eyes met his.

"I want t' learn how t' read…"

This seemed to cause the young woman to perk up, a faint glimmer reflected in those blue hues as she listened. Ray had wanted to teach him to read since the night he came and got her, knowing that it would make things a lot better for him whenever that fateful day did come…Though now the thought of leaving him all alone again made her feel a tinge of sorrow.

"Do you really?" She questioned wanting to be sure she heard him correctly.

"Y-yeah…" The man muttered plopping himself down into one of the chairs by the table, looking away as he scratched at his cheek in embarrassment.

 _Vsstt vssssst vssst_

Before she could say anymore on the subject both of their gazes shot over towards the phone on the table by Zack. Her heart rate seemed to pick up, as a number was displayed across the screen. Of course caller ID didn't give any information in regards to who it actually was but from the area code she knew the caller was from around where they were before given that was the same area code as her home phone number.

"Zack hurry answer it!"

"Huh? Why do I- "

"Because the owner was a man. It'll be suspicious if were to answer it. Just push the green phone button." She responded swiftly cutting the man off, knowing their time was limited. Watching as the man hesitantly picked up the device and did as she instructed, grumbling to himself as he did so.

"Yo."

Ray looked on as Zack's mismatched eyes widened then settled back down with an annoyed expression, the woman tilted her head at the man as he glared at the phone.

"What th' hell!? So it was you this whole time!"

She watched in confusion as the killer yelled angrily into the phone. However, given his expression and the simple fact that he knew the person on the other end it became abundantly clear who he was talking to.

Rachel's hand darted out to snag the phone from the man before he could continue his sudden temper tantrum ignoring him as he yelled " _HEY!_ " and raised the phone to her own ear.

"Reverend?"

"Evening, Ms. Gardner."


	9. Chapter 9

Early the following morning, Rachel had just returned to the motel room with breakfast. Seating herself at the table after setting Zack's neatly onto the nightstand on his side of the bed to allow the man a couple more minutes of sleep. She also wanted more time to think about their situation and the conversation she had with the reverend the previous night. While some questions had been answered there were still some mysteries left unsolved.

Turned out he had been behind the man who had been tracking them with a chip that had been placed on Zack's scythe. He had apologized for the scare and regretted to hear the man had been killed but for security purposes he couldn't have the guy blabbing about Gray having been the one to hire him, nor give the man very much detail as to _why_ he was wanting him to track down an infamous serial killer and a supposedly kidnapped teenager. The older man also had not anticipated them to cover so much ground in such a short period of time.

The old priest still hadn't given much detail as to his reasoning for wanting to meet with them, just that he was trying to redeem himself for his past sins and had some options for them. Options which he didn't go into further as he wished to discuss those things in person. After being on the run for so long surviving in rather poor conditions, the pair had agreed. Not to mention they had already come all this way for that very reason, at this point both desired to see it through to see what the older man could offer them as well as get some answers.

Either way she wouldn't mind talking to the ex B2 resident after hearing that he had helped save them both from the doctor. She wanted to thank him for everything he had done because had it not been for him they would both be dead right now. Whether she trusted him beyond that just yet however...the young blonde didn't know.

 **June**

Over the past few months whenever they managed to get a hotel to spend the night or were taking a break from their travels, much of the time was spent with Ray attempting to teach Zack how to read. In the beginning it was rather frustrating for the man but determined to try to figure this out he made ample progress fairly quickly. He could now read most simple sentences, though he still had trouble with larger, more complex words which he would have to ask Ray for help with pronunciation.

Each stepping stone had the man quite pleased with himself, it was pretty damn satisfying to be able to read the names of stores and have somewhat of an idea of what would be inside without having to walk in, being able to read dates and times had also been fairly handy. While he still had trouble with the clocks with hands, he was able to read the digital ones just fine. The information had been particularly useful, as they edged closer to the town this all started.

Zack was waiting just outside of a gas station, while his companion headed inside to pick up a few snacks. Amber eyes surveyed the area ensuring that no cops showed up, his gaze coming to rest on one of the newspaper racks. Something that would normally have held no importance to him at all whatsoever was far more interesting now that he could read the words. Though it was not the headtitle or the name of the paper that caught his eye but rather the date which read June 8. The corners of the serial killers lips upturned into a smile at the information, remembering that it meant in 2 days it would be Rachel's birthday.

"Zack?" Her soft voice was accompanied by the tone of a bell as she opened the door and was now eyeing her companion curiously having noticed the odd smirk on his face. "Are you happy about something?"

His eyes flicked from the newspaper stand to meet her cerulean eyes, at the same moment a faint breeze swept through their hair supplying a bit of relief from the summer heat. Even though he had been with her, watching her all this time it still surprised him sometimes. Particularly now when she would be dressed in more revealing attire such as her jean shorts, sneakers and a somewhat fitted t shirt. Much as he pretended to not notice, Rachel was no longer that little stick figured girl he met back on B6. She had a much more womanly shape to her that seemed to grow even more prominent over just the past year, it was becoming increasingly difficult for him to not stare at her like some sort of creep.

"Kinda…" The man responded shifting his gaze away and shrugging one of the bags off of his shoulder so that she could stash the items they wouldn't be eating right away into one of the pockets.

Ray glanced up at him, her hair bobbing as she tilted her head with a rather curious expression on her face. Obviously wanting to know what it was that had suddenly placed Zack in a good mood. However, judging from the short response and the way he wasn't really looking at her she knew she probably wouldn't receive an answer.

"Well then…?"

She figured she would try her luck anyway to see if perhaps she could get some form of a clue or direct answer from the man.

"Well then what?"

The hooded killer glanced back in her direction, readjusting the bag onto his back again then proceeded to continue walking as he was eager to get a move on. If they covered enough ground they just might be able to get to their destination over the next couple of days. Though the blistering heat of June didn't make that a particularly easy task, especially for Zack. Luckily there seemed to be several towns between here and there, meaning they would be able to spend their nights in a hotel instead of the streets. Ray had also managed to acquire a very light weight jacket she had surprised him with a while back that helped at least a little.

He could hear the young woman sighing from behind at his lack of response but knew she wouldn't pry any further. Why he was so happy about being able to remember Ray's birthday was beyond him. Afterall, birthdays and holidays weren't something he ever thought much of until his time with her. Like him, she had a bad childhood and while she had more experience with all of those things than he did, they hadn't been what he supposed was a typical holiday experience. It was something simple and maybe even a little stupid that he just found himself wanting to do. However, he had noticed how his efforts to make up for all those years of shitty experiences and replacing them with something better seemed to perk her up.

 _Damn it really is a pain…actually giving a damn about someone sometimes…_

That smile remained on his face as he walked side by side with Ray, tossing her an occasional glance from the corner of his eye. Never before had he felt the need to put so much thought into the things he did. Never before had he wanted to try to evoke various expressions and emotions from someone without the intent of trying to get some kind of high from itl. At least not anymore...initially he would look for any sign of an expression that might trigger him in order to fulfill their oath. That oath he knew he wouldn't be able to run away from forever, but also knew when the day came to fulfill he wasn't so sure anymore if he would even be able to...

By the tenth of June they reached the outskirts of the city they had been trying so hard to return to for so long. At some point Zack had clasped his hand around hers, surprising her from the sudden jolt she felt at the contact. Her assumption was that he was trying to lead them through the safest paths in order to evade the police and so she did not comment on his sudden gesture. It was not until he started to lead her somewhat _away_ from the city that the blonde teen glanced up at the man with her brows pinched together in confusion.

"Zack...I don't think this is the right way…" Rachel finally spoke up after he led her off towards the woods. Though he seemed to know exactly where he was going, she was fairly certain that Gray had said his church was more _inside_ the city and not out in the middle of the woods.

He didn't respond, merely continued to tug her along as she stared after him in confusion. Admittedly the whole thing felt kind of stupid, afterall he didn't typically pay attention to these sorts of things. For him it was nothing special at all whatsoever and while he might not have had the greatest memory, he did find himself able to remember enough when it came to Ray. Perhaps it wasn't so much that he had a bad memory as it was just never having cared enough to remember things in the first place until now.

Though oddly he found himself feeling a bit nervous the closer they got and honestly he didn't know why. It wasn't that he was worried she wouldn't like it, he knew Ray well enough by now to know with certainty that she would. So why then? Why did he feel tense? The only thing he conclude was that it was because of how stupid it felt to be doing something like this. It was very much not like him to think to do something like this.

After about a half hour walk, Ray still had no answer as to where they were going. Perhaps Zack knew of a short cut? Though she was certain this was the opposite direction from where they needed to be going. Blue hues glanced up at the man tugging her along with curiosity, unable to help but notice the subtle shift in his demeanor. She also noticed something else...his ears were beat red. While it was possible it was due to the heat as he was undoubtedly hot in that hoodie even if it was light material, it was more likely that he was embarrassed about something. This observation admittedly had her even more curious than she had been before.

"Zack…" She tried to call out to the man once more, "Where are we going?"

"Just takin' a detour, less likely t' get seen by the piggies out here right?" He responded after a couple minutes of silence. It wasn't a lie either since he did know of a way to cut back through the back alleyways from here without having to go through the city to get there.

 _Just a little further…_

Thankfully his answer seemed to satisfy Rachel, who remained relatively quiet while they trudged through the woods. It wasn't until they came to a small clearing that he could hear a quiet gasp of awe from behind him. It was a little grove with moss covered rocks hugging the edges of a small stream but most notable was the flowers that grew wherever the sun was able to reach. Shades of soft blue and white petals painted the otherwise green landscape, as well as several honeysuckle bushes whose sweet aroma filled the air. A couple of butterflies and honey bees could be seen going from flower to flower. It really was quite a pretty place even if it was small.

Her love of flowers was a piece of information he had retained since being on her floor back on B1. Though, just the thought of all those smelly fake flowers make him cringe. It was surprising he had even remembered the existence of this place, having only come across it during a time period in which the cops were on full alert and he had to stay low in order to avoid getting caught. He had spent a night or two in this area many years ago.

"It's pretty…"

It was here that Zack finally relinquished his hold on her hand so that she could venture forward to take everything in while he remained just at the edge. Even though he had managed to cover up his _real_ reason for coming here and Ray had seemed to buy it the man was still red as a tomato. He didn't know why he felt so damn embarrassed about it, it hadn't felt this weird even last year when he attempted to do something nice for her birthday back then.

More than that, things had started to feel a bit different though he couldn't quite place it, other than finding his eyes to be drawn to her far more frequently than they had been before. Hell he was doing it even now while she seemed completely enamoured by a particular flower that seemed to stick out amongst the rest.

Isaac averted his eyes as she turned around after plucking one of the blue flowers from the ground. In an attempt to seem nonchalant about the whole thing the man merely rolled his eyes at her then moved to set the bags down by a rock. He slung his weapon over his shoulder then, almost toying with it as he acted as if he was just surveying the area.

Rachel sat herself on one of the grass patches, twirling the flower between her fingers before shifting her attention to her companion. Afterall, she knew even despite the reason he gave for coming this way...even if it was true...they hadn't needed to go _this_ far out.

"Zack…"

"Mmh?"

She shifted her legs beneath her, tilting her head a bit there as she watched him stand with his back towards her.

"Did you bring me here intentionally?"

"H-huh?!" His posture, how he was acting and the way he began to sputter as he turned to look at her with that incredulous look on his face really gave away his entire game. "Why would ya think somethin' like that?"

"Your ears are red, the entire way here you've been scratching at your cheek or tucking your hood down like you're embarrassed about something." The young woman managed a bit of a smile there, her cerulean eyes seeming to sparkle in a way that only he ever got the pleasure of seeing. She closed her eyes as she brought the unique blue flower up to her nose. "It's really pretty here...I never knew something like this existed so close to the city."

"Tch…"

The young woman slowly began to open her eyes, hearing the sound of his boots moving in front of her. Her gaze finding what she could of his hidden under the shadows of his hood as he crouched down in front of her; at the same time slinging his weapon across his shoulders with ease to use as an armrest.

"So how old are ya now?" It was here he finally raised his head a bit to peer down at her with those eyes she had grown so fond of.

However, the question had taken her by surprise as she had noted the date a couple of days ago but had forgotten today was her birthday. She was even more surprised by the fact that he actually remembered without her even making a single mention of it. Zack had never proven to have the best memory…

A pinkish hue bloomed across her normally pale cheeks as she blinked up at him. This time she was the one forced to look away, moving her eyes down to her hands now resting in her lap still twiddling the flower between her fingers. It caused her to feel very warm inside that he had again tried to do what he could for her on a day that had never been one worth looking forward to prior. There was a slight sting in the corners of her blue hues, words would never be able to express just how grateful she felt for the man in front of her.

"So whose th' one with red ears now?" A grin spread across his face, keeping his mismatched orbs fixated on her downcast face. His expression was quick to soften in that way it only would for the young woman before him.

Rachel's own lips curved up into a small smile, shaking her head at the man knelt in front of her.

"I didn't expect you to remember something like that…" She responded truthfully as she turned her head back to look up into that beautiful shade of gold.

"Tch...well then? Ya still didn't answer my question...how old are ya now?"

"Sixteen…"

It was rather strange when she realized how long they had been on the run together. That she was still alive when she was certain he would have ended her life by now. However, Zack had asked her to try to live first...what he hadn't specified was for how long. Sometimes she really did wonder if he ever intended to fulfill that oath that had knit them so tightly together. At some point she did intend to question him about it but not right now. Afterall, she had chosen to trust him with this and honestly...the thought of leaving him...and leaving him all alone made her feel sad.

"Still a brat then huh…"

Before she could respond she was granted a small thwack on the forehead, earning the killer a flat stare as she raised a hand up to rub at that spot. Of course she wasn't actually angry at him, especially not when he tossed that sly smirk of his her way. That grin only broadening from the faint shift in her expression.

"I am not…" Ray mumbled quietly. Her expression softened once more and she moved her hand from her forehead to cup the side of his face. Her head tilted curiously as she noticed how this simple gesture she had done several times before caused a stronger shift in his features than it had in the past. Zack's eyes darted away from her almost as soon as her palm reached his bandaged cheek. "Thank you Zack...it...really means a lot to me…"

"Y-yeah...whatever…" He shifted to sit back on his rear, moving away from her touch in the process. Meanwhile his eyes seemed to continue to look at anything but her.

The small blonde then looked up at him thoughtfully as her hand remained where it was a moment longer before dropping down to her lap. There was something else that had been on her mind lately with him. Lately, it felt as if there was something else there in his expression. Something she had started to pick up on over the past few months. She would sometimes notice his eyes lingering on her, only for him to quickly look away with a sheepish expression on his face once their gazes would connect.

While she too was aware of the changes in her own body, especially given she had found herself in the intimates section of a department store just the other week. While she didn't consider herself to be particularly large right now despite these changes it had become enough of a problem she felt she needed the extra undergarments to avoid any awkward situations. Not only this but her pants over time had become rather tight as a result of her lower half seeming to change as well.

However, she hadn't thought anything of this in regards to Zack noticing. If he even did notice at all, she wasn't sure he cared about those kinds of things? Afterall, anytime he had chased down a woman in the alleyways he never seemed interested in anything more than satisfying his itch for murder. At least as far as she knew he hadn't seemed interested though of course there were times he had gone off on his own for a while then come back either with someone else's blood or supplies they had needed.

Whatever the reason was for this behavior of his, she wasn't entirely sure and she had a feeling if she asked she probably wouldn't receive an answer. For the time being she had decided to just simply let it go and simply enjoy being in his company even if things _were_ starting to feel a little different between them. It wouldn't change _that_ much. Or would it?

After simply enjoying most of the day in that little piece of heaven in the forest, the pair of travelling companions had agreed to head back towards their destination. It was just after sundown by the time they had entered back into the city. Sticking close together as they slunk around through the back alleys in an attempt to avoid the possibility of bumping into any cops as much as possible. Despite how much time had gone by they couldn't be certain if at least one of them would be recognized or not; even if Rachel was proclaimed dead.

It was strange to be back in the city where it all began, every nook and cranny of these alleys was all too familiar for Isaac. As such it was without difficulty that he was able to navigate them around in the appropriate direction.

As they moved along the dimly lit pathways however he couldn't seem to shake the feeling that they were being watched. What he wasn't sure of was from where as his mismatched eyes surveyed the area for any sign of life. It had been eerily quiet even for where they were. Until the rustle of an empty can on the ground from just inside one of the old abandoned buildings that littered this part of the town alerted the both of them to someone else's presence.

Zack held out a hand to pause Rachel from proceeding further. She threw her hair into a sway as she nodded her head in understanding once he turned back to glance at her. She would take cover while he went to investigate just to ensure there wasn't anyone tailing them that might recognize who they were and potentially set the police out looking for them.

The hooded killer readied his favored weapon and carefully proceeded into the building, his keen eyes picking up on the movement of what was clearly a human shadow as he entered the trashed bottom floor. With the only source of light being from the orange glow of a nearby street lamp he made sure to stick to the shadows to avoid being seen by any potential threat from inside the building. Though the individual was probably already aware that he was in here given that eerie feeling he had moments before of eyes on them.

With his back against the wall he crouched behind some stacked crates, vigilant amber eyes catching another sign of movement across the room. It was a male that much was obvious from the shadow and the way he moved. Though it seemed more like this person was trying to hide from him rather than pursue. This realization caused a grin to curl up at the corners of his mouth. Zack kept low as he moved around the boxes, picking up the pace just a little as he headed towards the figure hiding behind an old piece of wooden furniture that had been left behind whenever the building had become abandoned.

Soon as he was within range hooded man leapt from the shadows, reeling his arms back and swinging his weapon with inhuman force easily splitting the wood in half. Laughter echoed through the derelict building as an old man fell back with his arms held over his head to protect from the splinters of wood that now covered his arms and beard. It was just a homeless man who had probably been watching to see if he could have an opportunity to steal something.

For Zack the reasoning made little difference, though in the back of his mind he was aware that Ray was still outside waiting so much as it disappointed him he had little choice but to make this a quick death in order to get back to her. "Well...no three seconds for ya I guess…" He shrugged his shoulders, grinning from ear as he looked down at the utterly terrified man who had started to beg for his life soon as Isaac Raised his scythe over his head with a laugh. One loud _THUNK_ and it was over, the light faded from the man's eyes and his bloodied body fell to the floor with a thud.

Isaac pressed his boot down on the lifeless corpse as he pried his blade out from the top of the dead man's skull. A single flick of his blade to clean off the excess blood before slinging the weapon back over his shoulder. His grin still plastered to his face, looking pleased enough with himself as he made his way back outside. Though it wouldn't last long once he stepped out from the broken doorway to discover that Ray was nowhere in sight. His eyes scanned the alleyway, looking towards the dumpster he had watched her go to hide behind several minutes before but there was no sign of Rachel save for the small bag she often carried.

This was unusual given the fact that Ray always had that bag glued to her side, she wouldn't have just taken off without it or without giving him some kind of warning. So that meant…

 _Shit…_

"RAY!?"

No response…

"Damnnit! Where the fuck are ya Ray?"

One of the emotions he had become more intimate with since he formed a bond with Rachel back at that building came bubbling to the surface - panic. Zack's combat boots thudded against the concrete as he wasted not even a second before hurrying through the back alleys in search of his small companion. Every worst case scenario ran through his mind, he was well aware of what kind of fucked up people lurked around back here.

He ran down alley after alley, every abandoned building he could recall being back here he searched and called her name with no luck. All his focus was on trying to find her, not even the sight of some happy saps walking down the street could draw his attention.

Every minute that passed only fueled that emotion, eventually even feeling fear...another one that was new...fear of losing someone...fear for someone else's safety. This was something he had only ever felt for himself prior to meeting Ray.

Though it had only been several minutes it felt like an eternity for him before he heard a familiar kind of laughter just down one of the corners into a dead end he must have somehow overlooked. That smug self satisfied laugh of a man who had caught himself an innocent victim to terrorize.

Normally he would have enjoyed going after someone like that, watching that expression shift to one of utter terror as they watched their life flash before their eyes. This time he felt a sense of utter dread, hoping with all his might that victim wasn't Ray...though the lack of a feminine scream and the chill that ran down his spine told him what the back of his mind already knew.

"Hold her still!"

Isaac grit his teeth as he neared the source of the voices, suddenly feeling his blood start to boil and his vision turned red.

"Might as well quit struggling, we're gonna be having a lot of fun tonight...if you cooperate I might try to be gentle."

Just around the corner was two middle aged men, first he caught sight of one holding a pair of pale wrists and the other trying to force his way between the girls legs. Her clothes were torn and she was nearly fully exposed. A pair of angry blue eyes laced with fear stared daggers at the man directly in front of her as she struggled to break free. Her lip was busted and her body had obviously taken a bit of a beating.

In an instant he had snapped over the edge, driven by anger rather than his usual craving for murder. Zack launched himself forward and with a single swing of his scythe blood sprayed over the area and the man that had been attempting to rape _his_ Ray was raised up on the large blade then slung against the brickwall. The sound of his bones breaking from the impact and his body hitting the ground would be the last thing his companion would hear and see as he stared wide eyed trying to figure out what had even just happened.

"W-wai-"

His sentence was cut short as with another swing Zack's blade pierced the underside of his jaw and into his skull vertically slicing the man's face in half.

Had Ray not been laying there practically naked he would have made the sick fucks suffer more for daring to lay a hand on her.

"Z-zack...I...I'm sorry...I'm sorry...I was too weak to do-"

Her sentence was cut off as she was pulled up into his arms as he knelt down onto the ground with her.

"Shut up idiot, don't apologize for stupid shit...it's not yer fault...I should've paid more attention...I got too distracted…" He responded, hugging her sobbing form closer to his chest and trying to soothe her in his own way.

"I'm sorry...Zack…"

"Didn't ya hear me!? I said quit apologizing for stupid shit!"

They couldn't linger that much he knew, before anyone else came by...it was never wise to stick around dead bodies for long. He was at least relieved that he had managed to find her just barely in time before anything worse happened. Those mismatched eyes glanced down at to see that her body was covered in bruises and hand prints. Rachel's lower lip was bleeding and her palms and knees were scraped from being pushed to the ground most likely.

Beyond that her torn shirt was just barely hanging off her shoulders and her undergarment had been torn off. Meanwhile her lower body had been entirely exposed her shorts and underwear discarded off in the corner though it appeared they had been cut and were no longer wearable.

"I...Z-zack?"

Isaac blinked then uttered a loud curse as he found himself having to pry his mismatched eyes away from her body. At the moment he was mentally kicking himself in the foot for having allowed his eyes to linger in certain places far longer than they should have. He glanced at her rose dusted face briefly before averting his eyes so that he could shrug their bags off of his shoulders to pull out one of his large t shirts to for her to throw over her head for the time being. There wasn't time for them to linger here any longer as the sound of police sirens could be heard just around the corner.

"Shut up we gotta move." He ordered, waiting til it was safe to look back at her before picking their supplies back up and scooping her up into his arms since her shoes were nowhere to be found nor did she seem to be in any condition to walk in the first place.

He was grateful for the layers of gauze that hid his own tinted cheeks as he tried to convince himself that it was just because of how much she had changed. Ray's body was entirely different in comparison to how she had been when he first met her or even when he pulled her from that window. He was fairly certain she didn't have tits back then and that her hips didn't have so much of a curve to them. Not that it mattered...it was Ray...just Ray...and that didn't change anything...even if it had Rachel was too young for that shit. Fuck even if she wasn't it would probably be a cold day in hell before she would ever even think of looking at him the way he had just looked at her a moment ago.

Isaac grit his teeth as he carried her, feeling those blue eyes burning into him. Of course he had a feeling she would probably end up saying something. Ray was blunt and straight to the point, though that didn't stop him from praying to a god he didn't believe in that one she hadn't noticed what he was staring at and two that she would just not say a word about it. Just pretend it didn't happen, especially when that wasn't the main concern here. Though it could have been a lot worse Rachel still was in fair condition. Though she didn't utter a word of complaint she was in pain that much was clear from the dullness in her eyes and the bruises covering her body.

The fact that he had even looked at her like that after what had almost just happened in the first place made him feel disgusted with himself if he was being honest. Surely she probably felt the same way, if she could have read his mind at that moment he was certain she would probably want absolutely nothing to do with him anymore and he wouldn't blame her.

Luckily it wouldn't be long before they reached the church from their current location. A large building with stained glass windows a tall steeple and large dark wooden double doors up a set of steps, hidden down a vacant road surrounded by pine trees. Honestly it kind of creeped him out given how much it resembled B2. He had gotten far more acquainted with that floor than he would have liked as he nearly bled out on the floor. At least it was relatively hidden and there didn't seem to be anyone around.

Zack blew out a heavy breath of air, at long last they were here and he wasn't sure how he felt about it. The man hugged the small blonde clutching her hands at the front of his jacket closer to his body. Last thing he wanted was the creep getting too much of a look at her when she was in this state.

"This is th' place right?" He questioned her, staring straight ahead as he moved towards the set of concrete steps.

"It...kind of looks like the priest's floor...So I think that's a reasonable assumption." Ray responded quietly, her hands grasping tighter at the front of his hoodie. Her blue orbs winced in pain as she tried to shift her position.

This caused Isaac to grit his teeth in irritation, both at himself for not being more mindful and at the fact he hadn't made those pricks suffer. While she was lucky to have not had her virginity taken from her(...well at least he assumed she was still a virgin much like himself.), they had done quite a number on the small woman.

He let out an exasperated sigh as he carried her up the steps to the gaudy looking building. There was no grace in his action as he kicked one of the doors open and entered the church. Only one word came to mind once they stepped inside - dejavu. The inside looked _exactly_ like the chapel on B2. Honestly he half wondered if there would be some hidden staircase if he smashed through that stained glass window behind the organ just ahead.

"Fuckin' creepy…" The hooded man murmured, his mismatched eyes darting around for any sign of the old man.

Rachel nodded against his chest in agreement. "It looks exactly the same doesn't it?"

Isaac didn't get a chance to make another remark in response as the sound of footsteps could be heard clicking against the wood from just around the corner. Moments later they were both staring into a familiar set of pale eyes staring down at them from the front of the chapel. As always he was dressed in a suit with that ridiculous purple coat and had a bible in his hand.

"I'm grateful to see it appears the two have you have made it mostly in one piece." The middle aged man frowned as his pale gaze trailed down towards the young girl in Zack's arms. "Are the girl's injuries severe?"

"Don't fuckin' look at her ya damn pervert!"

A small smile slipped across the older man's features as he watched Isaac hug Rachel closer in a protective manner. Over the past two years it was clear that the bond between the two has grown quite a bit. Both seemed to have matured in their own ways, Isaac seemed to have a softness to him that he didn't have before and Rachel was clearly no longer a little girl but was blossoming into a young woman. Though it seemed she had taken quite a beating in their efforts to get here.

"I'm fine…"

The small woman peered at the older man with eyes that seemed so familiar and yet unfamiliar. They weren't as lifeless as they once were when he had first come across the girl, rather they were quite lively in comparison even if it wasn't quite as much so as most people.

"Just fuckin' explain yerself already...we're here now whaddya want ya old man?"

Gray simply shook his head dismissively, there was quite a bit to discuss though he doubted Isaac would understand most of it. However, that could wait for now. Respectively he motioned towards Rachel with his hand as he stared into Zack's amber eyes.

"There will be plenty of time for that...for now tend to the girl...I trust her injuries are not serious…" The priest's hands clasped behind his back as he moved towards the hall to the right and motioned for Zack to follow along behind him. "I'm sure both of you are weary from your journey...there is an unused home this way behind the church. You can stay there for the time being and we can discuss everything in the morning."

"Rest.." Ray placed her palm flat against her companions chest to stop him from protesting, feeling rather tired if she was being honest. "Sounds nice...it's just bruises and a few scrapes...I'll be fine...please lead the way…"

Not only was she sleepy but her bruised body was sore and it was frankly kind of awkward to be laying there in Zack's arms practically naked. His shirt provided sufficient coverage but still it was just odd.

"Very well...this way." The purple cloaked man led them around through a hallway which led to the back of the church. "I am glad to hear it's not serious. May I ask how you acquired these injuries? I presume it was not the authorities…"

"I…"

"Fuck no!" Zack immediately cut her off, glaring at the back of the man's head as they moved out the back door.

"I see…Suppose in some ways you haven't changed much have you, Isaac?" A small smile slipped across his face as Gray proceeded to move forward.

"Huh?" Zack tilted his head at the man in irritation. "You still make no damn sense…"

A small one story english tudor style house could be seen just in the distance with a small yard just as the reverend had said. Around the base a light grey stone with a white stucco at the top. Dark wood accented the home along with a dark wood door with a stained glass window. While it was far more simplistic than the church it was still obviously catered a bit more to the reverend's tastes.

Rachel's eyes surveyed the area while Zack carried her over the cobblestone path which led up to the small home. Shifting her attention towards the back of the old priest's gray head.

"Do you live here?" It was a reasonable question and she was somewhat curious as to whether or not they would be sharing this small house with the man. The idea of which still had her a little unsettled despite the fact that he had helped them in the end it was still hard to entirely trust him. Even if everything he had done to her had only in the end resulted in hers and Zack's bond being strengthened further.

"You needn't be concerned, my quarters are on the second floor of the church." As always Gray seemed to have an excellent perception of what might be going through her mind.

The middle aged man slipped a hand into his pocket to retrieve a small key which he used to unlock the front door of the small house.

"This is simply a guest house for anyone who might need it...there are two bedrooms so feel free to make yourself comfortable and get some rest. There will be...much to talk about in the morning. Meet with me in the chapel around noon but not prior as there will be a congregation from 9:00 to 10:00."

"Tch...this some kind of trick?" Zack asked in a threatening tone, tightening his grip on Rachel as he moved to stand in front of the now unlocked door and taking the key Gray was now holding out to him.

"It is not a trick I can assure you." Gray closed his eyes as he shook his head, his lips curling upward as he shifted his focus on that familiar set of mismatched eyes. "I will see you at noon tomorrow…"

Once Gray had left them to their own devices the pair had moved through the door to the living room which was fitted with a dark gray sofa and a matching loveseat which went around a black wooden coffee table. Up against the wall above the flagstone fireplace hung a modest sized television. To the right the hardwood floors transitioned to tile as they entered the small kitchen and dining area. To the left was a hallway that led to the two bedrooms and a bathroom between the two.

Zack shrugged their bags onto the sofa, then carried Rachel into the first bedroom. His wild eyes scanned the dark blue walls for a moment before gently setting her down to sit at the edge of the queen sized bed.

"Ya hurtin' a lot?"

He swept back the hair that had fallen on her face, wearing a rather concerned expression. Seeing her like this made him feel like absolute shit...this wasn't a way he ever wanted to see Ray. Even if it could have been so much worse...

"I'm a little sore but it's not that bad." Her blonde hair swayed as she tilted her head back to look up into those amber eyes she had become so familiar with. "Thank you for saving me Zack…"

"Yer lips all busted up...and yer legs are scraped up pretty bad... ya look like shit…"

"I'm fine…"

"No...yer not…" The man shook his head as he turned to snag the bag with all of their first aid supplies from the living room.

Rachel was about to reassure him that she was perfectly fine even if she was a little banged up. However, once again he caught her off guard with his impulsivity. One moment he was standing over her the next he had promptly returned from the other room and was kneeling down in front of her pulling out bandages, antiseptic and ointment from one of their bags.

"Z-zack?" The young woman blinked questioningly at the man in front of her as he reached out to hold one of her legs out. Red splashed across her face as she noted how he was and the fact that she was literally wearing nothing except for that baggy shirt she had been forced to throw on in such a rush with no undergarments. "W-wait…"**

A small hand laid gently over his much larger one to halt his actions, earning her an annoyed look from the man.

"What's th' problem?"

"I...um…" Ray averted her blue eyes while her other hand tried to tug the large article of clothing down to keep herself more modest as she squeezed her thighs together.

"Oh…"

The young woman kept her face turned away as he quickly caught onto what her issue was. Something soft landed on top of her head, obscuring her vision and something else onto her lap. She pulled the blue T- shirt off her head then glanced down to see a pair of black cotton shorts she had recently purchased. Muttering a quick thankyou just loud enough for him to hear after seeing he had quickly vacated the room.

Two delicate hands curled around the hem of the shirt and carefully pulled it over her head.. From there it was a simple matter of shrugging the thicker material off and slipping the t shirt over her head then pulling her long strands through the neckline.. A frown slipped across her face as she realized he hadn't given her any underwear which inconveniently was in the bag still in the living room. She winced a little as she slipped into the comfortable cotton shorts, figuring it was better than nothing although if she moved a certain way...she would just have to deal with the undergarment part herself after her wounds were tended to. Now that she was alone in the room and had a chance to actually look at her legs she realized why he seemed so concerned. They did look pretty bad from being forcefully shoved to the ground…

"Hurry up!" The man called grumpily from the other room, causing a small smile to perk up the corners of her lips. She had grown quite accustomed to Zack's grumpy nature. It was quite amusing really; in some way he was like a small child and in others an irritable old man.

"I'm done...but I can do this myself Zack." She responded softly, her blue hues shifting up as Isaac re entered the room without missing a beat the moment she gave him the greenlight to do so.

"Like hell you are…" Zack immediately took up his prior position and prepared the antiseptic.

A warmer expression settled over her face as she found it kind of nice how he always took it upon himself to treat her wounds since the day he broke her out of that mental hospital. It was still a bit strange for her sometimes to have someone so concerned about her wellbeing, even if that same man was the one she had chosen as her executioner whenever that day should come.

"Thank you…" She whispered as she watched him gently take one of her legs in his hand.

The young woman winced from the sting of the antiseptic being swept over her wounds. Though despite that stinging sensation she couldn't help but notice another unfamiliar sensation that shocked her nerves from that gentle touch. A sensation that she only ever got with him and it was strange...she had a faint idea of what it was but...Zack...wasn't interested in those kinds of things was he? Then again...there was the way he had been looking at her earlier.

Being the more thoughtful of the two she was aware how much not only their relationship had changed over the past two years but also just how much they had changed as individuals as well. Her eyes weren't so dull and she liked to think she could smile a little better...at least that's what Zack would tell her...it was just a little better. Where as he seemed to be a bit more well thought out with some of his actions. Together they had grown close, so much closer than she had ever felt with anyone before and given his past she was fairly certain it was the same for him.

However, as she began to mature sometimes when he would touch her...especially like he was doing right now she would feel like she got shocked with a jolt of electricity. It almost felt embarrassing when he was touching her leg like this even if he was just cleaning and bandaging her up. It was kind of amazing how a gruff man like Zack could be so gentle with things like this.

"Yer probably gonna need some ice...looks like ya might have twisted yer ankle, it's a bit it just yer legs and yer lip that are bleedin'?"

Zack's mismatched eyes shifted up from her leg after he had finished bandaging her up. Content that the bandages would stay in place he collected the first aid items then moved up onto the bed to administer to her busted up lip.

"I...think so...the rest is just bruises...I'll be okay Zack. You don't need to blame yourself for this you know? It wasn't your fault…"

Ray looked up at him with those cerulean eyes, raising a hand to cup the side of his face with a reassuring expression. Really she didn't blame him for it and he had gotten there just in the nick of time. Everything was fine…

He stared into her eyes for a moment then continued trying to patch her up without bothering to give her a response. For a moment she wondered what he might be thinking, though it was obvious he probably would blame himself for it regardless of what she said.

"D'ya think that guys really gonna try t' help us?" It was a reasonable question...even if Gray had ultimately saved them...there were still the questions of why?

"Given all the effort he put in to try to find us...and everything you told me that happened after I passed out...I think I believe him." She wanted to believe him, that perhaps he could find some way for them to be in a better position, perhaps just living better in general. Not that she hated how they were now long as she had Zack but it would just be nice to not be on the run all the time. If they were in a better position...maybe Zack would be okay...when that time came…

 _Only time would tell..for now she would do as he asked and try to live. She wouldn't bring up the fact that she still felt she didn't deserve to live even if being with him had made her happy. She didn't deserve it…_

 ** _-Thank you for reading and I hope you enjoyed the chapter. I apologize for taking so long to update I have just had a lot going on._**

 ** _Also thank you for the kind reviews! As for those who have been asking if I will continue. YES! I intend to keep going until the story is finished. Not sure how many more chapters there will be just yet...but I do have all the events I want to happen mapped out. I would like to say I will update more regularly and I would like to but no promises as I am very busy._**

 **Feel free to follow on twitter/tumblr for updates or if you have any questions. I am also an artist and have done some fanart for the fandom. Though I have only been doing digital for a year but I am pretty happy with a lot of what I have done. I mostly post that on my twitter linked below.**

 **/ghostwulf0313**


	10. STORY STATUS UPDATE

**THIS IS JUST AN UPDATE ON CHAPTER 10's STATUS**

Since there isn't really a way for me to just respond to comments(at least that I know of since I am more partial to Ao3), I am just posting this as a notification that chapter 10 is about half way done. I have made some alterations to my story map and things I want to implement so its taking a while. Also I have a 1 year old and a 5 month year old so I am very busy cannot spend as much time as I would like writing.

However...

I will continue to update the story until it is finished. As of right now with how my planning is going there will be 10-13 more chapters before I am finished with this fanfiction. That being said...I have posted a link to both my twitter and tumblr on past chapters. If you ever have a question or are curious how any writing is coming along you can ask me there.

Thank you for following the story and I will see you at the next chapter!


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